Ruling BNP authorises PM Rahman to finalise nominee for Bangladesh’s presidential elections

The ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has authorised Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to select the party’s candidate for the country’s presidential elections, local media reported.

The decision was taken on Saturday at BNP’s National Standing Committee’s meeting, the Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported.

The meeting was headed by PM Rahman, who is also the BNP chairman.

“The Standing Committee has entrusted Prime Minister and BNP Chairman to take necessary decisions regarding the presidential election and select the party’s nominee,” state-owned Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha quoted BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as saying.

Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad took charge as the acting president after Mohammed Shahabuddin resigned on July 24.

According to Article 123(2) of the Constitution, an election to fill the vacant office of the president must be held within 90 days of the post becoming vacant, Dhaka Tribune reported.

“The Election Commission had already informed that it is prepared to conduct the presidential election. Once the election schedule is announced, the party chairman and Prime Minister will determine the BNP’s candidate for the presidency,” Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed was quoted as saying by the BSS.

He said that no specific names were discussed at the meeting.

The party’s Secretary General Alamgir said the Standing Committee also discussed the Government’s development activities, the upcoming local Government elections, and organisational matters.

BNP standing committee members Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Babu Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, Begum Selima Rahman, AZM. Zahid Hossain were also present at the meeting, the report added.