BNP picks Fakhrul as presidential candidate
The BNP has also announced Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir's resignation from all party posts. His nomination has triggered discussions over who will succeed him as BNP secretary general and who will take charge of his ministry.
The BNP has selected Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as the party's candidate for the country's presidential election.
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi made the announcement this afternoon (13 August) following a meeting between Prime Minister and party chief Tarique Rahman and senior party leaders at the Prime Minister's Office at the Secretariat.
He said, "It is with great pleasure that I announce on behalf of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party that our dedicated secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, has become the BNP's presidential candidate."
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Upon becoming the presidential candidate, Fakhrul had resigned as BNP secretary general and as a member of the party's Standing Committee, he added.
Earlier, Tarique made the announcement towards the end of his opening remarks at the meeting, according to Prime Minister's Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Ruman, reports UNB.
"He announced Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as the BNP's candidate for the presidential election," Ruman said, adding that the party leaders present at the meeting had welcomed the announcement with applause.
According to the election schedule, nomination papers must be submitted by 4pm today. A BNP delegation is expected to submit Fakhrul's nomination papers to the Election Commission in line with the schedule.
Fakhrul, elected from the Thakurgaon-1 constituency, currently serves as the minister for local government, rural development and cooperatives.
His nomination has also triggered discussions within the party over who will succeed him as BNP secretary general and who will take charge of his ministry.
The BNP collected two nomination forms for the presidential election on 9 August.
Meanwhile, the Jamaat-e-Islami opposition bloc has already finalised Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Chairman Col (retd) Oli Ahmad as its presidential candidate, submitting his nomination papers to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin, also the presidential election returning officer, at around noon today.
The Election Commission has set 20 August as the polling date.
According to the schedule, candidates can submit nomination papers today. The forms will be scrutinised on 16 August, while 18 August is the deadline for withdrawing candidacies.
The proposer and seconder on a nomination form must be members of parliament. A candidate can submit more than one nomination, but one will be finalised after scrutiny.
Under the rules, if there is only one candidate, they will be elected unopposed. If there is more than one candidate, voting will be held in parliament on 20 August.
The BNP holds a two-thirds majority in parliament, meaning its nominated candidate is expected to become president and that the vote may be largely a formality.
The country's 22nd president, Mohammed Shahabuddin, resigned on 24 July, citing serious health problems, requiring the Election Commission to organise a fresh presidential election before the end of his term.
Under the Constitution, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad is serving as acting president until a new president is elected. Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal is currently serving as speaker.
The Constitution requires a new president to be elected within 90 days of the office becoming vacant.
Having become the BNP's acting secretary general in 2011 and formally assuming the position in 2016, Fakhrul has served as party secretary general for more than a decade.
He led the BNP while then-chairperson Khaleda Zia was imprisoned and Tarique Rahman was abroad.
