Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir set to be country's 23rd president
The veteran politician's election as the country's 23rd president on 20 August is cemented as the ruling BNP and its allies hold the two-thirds majority of seats - 250 - in parliament.
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is set to become Bangladesh's 23rd president after the ruling BNP today (13 August) submitted his nomination for the presidential election.
His election is now virtually a formality as the ruling BNP commands 249 votes in parliament, including those of its allies, ensuring Fakhrul's victory in the election.
A BNP delegation submitted the nomination paper to Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin at Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital's Agargaon area at 2:24pm.
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BNP Standing Committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan proposed Fakhrul's candidacy, while another Standing Committee member, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, seconded it.
Earlier in the day, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced Fakhrul's nomination after a meeting of senior party leaders chaired by Prime Minister and BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman at the Prime Minister's Office in the Secretariat.
"It is with great pleasure that I announce on behalf of the BNP that our dedicated secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, has become the BNP's presidential candidate," Rizvi said.
He also said Fakhrul had resigned as the party's secretary general and as a member of its Standing Committee following his nomination.
Prime Minister's Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Ruman said Tarique announced Fakhrul's candidacy towards the end of his opening remarks at the meeting. He added that party leaders present welcomed the announcement with applause.
Jamaat-led alliance submits Oli's nomination
The nomination papers of Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Chairman Colonel (retd) Oli Ahmad, the candidate of the Jamaat-led opposition alliance for the presidential election, was also submitted to the Election Commission today.
Shafiqur Rahman, Jamaat chief and leader of the opposition, signed as the proposer for Oli's nomination, while NCP MP Abdullah Al Amin signed as the seconder.
Voting on 20 Aug
The Election Commission on 6 August announced the presidential election schedule, fixing 20 August for voting. Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, the returning officer, has convened MPs at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban session chamber for voting.
Nominations will be scrutinised on 16 August, with 18 August set as the withdrawal deadline. Voting will take place from 2pm to 5pm. A total of 349 MPs are eligible to vote, with the Chattogram-4 seat vacant.
This will be the first contested presidential election in 35 years. The last was held in 1991.
The country's 22nd president, Mohammed Shahabuddin, resigned on 24 July citing serious health problems, prompting the EC to arrange a fresh election.
Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad is serving as acting president until a new president is elected, while Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal is serving as acting speaker.
Article 123(2) of the Constitution requires a presidential election within 90 days of the office becoming vacant due to resignation.
Fakhrul deserves the post: Wahiduddin
Wahiduddin Mahmud, economist and former adviser to the interim government, told TBS that he and Fakhrul studied together at Dhaka College and lived in the same hostel. Later, they were roommates at SM Hall.
"We still meet and stay in touch every few days," he said. "Obviously, he deserves the post, but we will miss him in politics. He is too close to me for me to evaluate him objectively. He is a friend beyond politics, ideology or political affiliation."
Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik, said the BNP had made a good choice in selecting Fakhrul, an experienced and capable politician.
"I hope that after assuming office, he will rise above party politics. If he can remain above partisan interests, he will be able to discharge his responsibilities properly," he said.
Kazi Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman, acting dean of the University of Dhaka's Faculty of Social Sciences and professor of political science, also welcomed the decision.
"He is a dedicated leader who has been with the party for a long time. His contribution has been recognised. His long association with the party means he understands its strengths, weaknesses, responsibilities and future plans," he said.
Asked why the president was being replaced six months after the government was formed, rather than immediately, he said preparations were needed.
"There were various matters to deal with, including forming the government, constituting the cabinet, running its affairs and implementing the election manifesto. The president was replaced after everything had been organised and stability returned," he said.
Mirza Fakrul's eventful life
Born on 26 January 1948 in Thakurgaon, Fakhrul studied economics at Dhaka University, earning bachelor's and master's degrees.
He began his career in 1972 as a lecturer at Dhaka College under the Bangladesh Civil Service (Education Cadre) and later taught at several government colleges.
During his government service, he served as deputy director at the Directorate of Inspection and Audit and the Bangladesh National Commission for Unesco. From 1979 to 1982, he was private secretary to then-deputy prime minister SA Bari during Ziaur Rahman's presidency.
Fakhrul became involved in politics as a DU student in the 1960s. He joined the East Pakistan Students' Union, the student wing of the East Pakistan Communist Party, and served as secretary general of its SM Hall unit.
In 1969, he became president of its DU unit during the mass movement against president Ayub Khan. He was arrested and imprisoned for political reasons during the period.
He resigned from government service in 1986 and entered active politics. In 1988, he was elected chairman of Thakurgaon municipality as an independent candidate.
He joined the BNP during the anti-Ershad movement in the early 1990s and became president of its Thakurgaon unit in 1992.
In the 2001 election, he was elected BNP MP from Thakurgaon-1. During the BNP-led government, he served as state minister for agriculture and later civil aviation and tourism.
After contesting the 2008 parliamentary election, he became the BNP's senior joint secretary general in 2009. He served as acting secretary general from March 2011 before being appointed secretary general on 30 March 2016.
Fakhrul remained a key figure in the BNP's struggle against the Awami League government, enduring repeated arrests and leading the party through years of political turmoil.
He was jailed 11 times during the ousted Awami League government and spent a total of three and a half years behind bars.
Personal life
Fakhrul is married to Rahat Ara Begum and they have two daughters. Their elder daughter, Mirza Shamaruh, studied at the DU and later taught there before moving to Australia as a postdoctoral fellow. Their younger daughter, Mirza Safaruh, also studied at DU and teaches at a school in Dhaka.
Fakhrul's father, Mirza Ruhul Amin, was a lawyer, politician and former MP who served as agriculture minister. His younger brother, Mirza Faisal Amin, is general secretary of the BNP's Thakurgaon unit and chairman of Thakurgaon municipality.
His uncle Mirza Golam Hafiz served as land minister, law minister and speaker of parliament. Another uncle, Wing Commander SR Mirza, served in the Mujibnagar government during the 1971 Liberation War.
