BNP Standing Committee meeting on Saturday, presidential nomination on agenda
Graphics: Agamir Somoy
The ruling BNP has called a meeting of its policy-making body. The meeting, scheduled for Saturday, is expected to discuss the presidential nomination.
The meeting will be held at night at the BNP chairperson's political office in Gulshan, Dhaka. BNP Chairperson and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will preside over. Following the resignation of former President Md. Shahabuddin, discussions are ongoing within the party and political circles about his successor, prompting the BNP to convene a standing committee meeting.
The matter was confirmed by Shairul Kabir Khan, a member of the BNP's Media Cell. Regarding the upcoming meeting, he said, "The BNP's standing committee will meet on Saturday. Committee members have been informed."
After Md. Shahabuddin resigned on July 24, according to constitutional provisions, Speaker of Parliament Hafiz Uddin Ahmed assumed the role of Acting President. According to the constitution, a new president must be elected within 90 days of the office becoming vacant. Given the BNP's absolute majority in parliament, the party's nominated candidate is most likely to be elected.
Two members of the BNP's standing committee said that the meeting may reach a "decision" on the president that day.
Following Shahabuddin's resignation, discussions about the next presidential election have been ongoing at the party's policy-making level. In conversations with several standing committee members, multiple names have emerged as potential presidential candidates. The list includes – Acting President and Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, and BNP standing committee members Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Dr. Abdul Moyeen Khan, and Nazrul Islam Khan.
Retired Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed's name is also in the discussion as a potential President candidate. Apart from this, a secretary and several university professors have also been mentioned.
In response to a question from journalists in Bogura last Saturday, Mirza Fakhrul said that whether a party member or an outsider will be nominated for the presidency will be decided at the BNP's National Standing Committee meeting.
Meanwhile, although many names are being discussed for the next president, the name of the party's Secretary General, Mirza Fakhrul Islam, is currently receiving the most attention. He is being widely discussed both within and outside the party. However, if Mirza Fakhrul is elected president, several organizational changes will be required within the party and the government. In that case, he would have to step down from his position as Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives. Additionally, new leadership would need to be brought in to serve the Secretary General post.
According to the constitution, if he assumes the presidency, his Thakurgaon-1 seat will also become vacant, necessitating a by-election in that constituency. Mirza Fakhrul has been serving as the BNP's Secretary General for over a decade.
Before announcing the presidential election schedule, the Election Commission coordinates with the Speaker of Parliament as part of completing the necessary process. Currently, Barrister Kayser Kamal is serving as Speaker. On (Tuesday), Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A.M.M. Nasir Uddin met with him.
