Dhaka: The ruling BNP and the 11-party opposition alliance, led by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, have formally entered the race for the upcoming presidential election. Nomination papers for their respective candidates were submitted to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) on Thursday, as the election is scheduled for August 20.
According to United News of Bangladesh, BNP has nominated Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as its candidate, while the 11-party alliance has put forward Col (retd) Oli Ahmad. A BNP delegation, led by Standing Committee member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, submitted Fakhrul’s nomination paper to CEC AMM Nasir Uddin, who is acting as the returning officer. Moyeen Khan is the proposer of Mirza Fakhrul, with Gayeshwar Chandra Roy as the seconder. Given BNP’s majority in Parliament, Fakhrul is anticipated to secure the position at Bangabhaban, the President’s official residence.
Mirza Fakhrul’s candidacy was announced following a high-level meeting chaired by BNP Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. Subsequently, Fakhrul resigned from his roles as BNP Secretary General and a member of the party’s Standing Committee. The BNP delegation included notable members such as Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni, and others.
Simultaneously, the 11-party alliance submitted two nomination papers for Oli Ahmad. The first was proposed by Jamaat Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman and seconded by NCP lawmaker Abdullah Al Amin. The second nomination had NCP lawmaker Mahmuda Alam Mitu as the proposer and Jamaat lawmaker Abdul Baten as the seconder. EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed confirmed the submission of three nomination papers in total.
During a press briefing, Akhtar Ahmed stated that the nomination papers would be scrutinized on August 16. Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, representing BNP, welcomed the 11-party alliance’s participation, emphasizing the democratic nature of the election. Chief Whip Nurul Islam highlighted that the current Parliament was formed through a neutral election and praised Tarique Rahman’s efforts to meet public expectations.
Jamaat leader AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad remarked that although the 11-party alliance lacks a majority in Parliament, their participation is aimed at restoring democratic practices. He described Oli Ahmad as a respected national figure and emphasized the importance of competition in the election to uphold democratic values.
The election schedule, announced by the EC on August 6, sets August 20 for voting, with the last date for withdrawal of candidature being August 18. With a total of 349 MPs eligible to vote, the election marks the first time in 35 years that more than one candidate is competing for the presidency. The voting will be conducted in the session chamber of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.
The presidential election follows the resignation of Mohammed Shahabuddin, with Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad currently serving as the acting President. As per the Constitution, an election to fill the vacant office must occur within 90 days of the post becoming vacant due to resignation.