LGRD Minister Fakhrul tops BNP presidential shortlist
Graphics: Agamir Somoy
Presidential election is standing at the threshold of waiting. At the center of all speculation, one name is mentioned the most - BNP Secretary General and Minister for Local Government, Rural Development, and Cooperatives, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
He is number one on the list in the race to become president. If no major deviation occurs, he is going to receive the party’s nomination. Since the BNP has an absolute majority in Parliament, he will become the 23rd president if nominated.
The last day to submit nomination papers for the presidential election is 13 August. BNP collected two nomination papers for the presidential election on Sunday. One nomination paper was collected on behalf of the party by the Chief Whip of the Parliament and BNP Vice Chairman Nurul Islam Moni.
Another was collected by the party’s Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. BNP sources said two nomination papers were collected to avoid the risk of errors and to handle any last-minute complications.
However, the party may also keep the option open to submit nomination papers in the names of two people if necessary. In that case, the Acting President and Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad is under discussion as the second name.
Ultimately, only one person will receive the party nomination. The other will withdraw their candidacy. As a result, on 18 August, the last day for the withdrawal of candidacy, it will become clear who the BNP’s presidential candidate is.
The responsibility for deciding who will be the BNP’s candidate for the post of President was previously given to the party Chairman Tarique Rahman by the members of the standing committee.
Fakhrul’s name is gaining importance due to his long political journey, leadership during the party’s difficult times, and acceptability outside party circles. He took over the responsibility of secretary general through the BNP’s sixth national council in 2016.
Since then, more than a decade has passed. He was in the frontline leadership of the party during one of the most difficult periods in the BNP’s history.
He played an important role in keeping the party united, standing by the activists, and maintaining the continuity of the movement in a situation where the party chairperson was in jail and the acting chairman was outside the country.
According to many party leaders, Fakhrul’s political image and his acceptability even outside the party have kept him ahead of others for the post of president. Earlier, the names of BNP Standing Committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Abdul Moyeen Khan, and Nazrul Islam Khan were also under discussion for the presidency.
The names of a few people from outside the party were also heard at various levels. However, at the final hour, the main flow of discussion now revolves around Fakhrul.
If Fakhrul becomes president, changes will not only occur in president’s office; multiple vacancies will also be created in the BNP’s party leadership and the government. Upon assuming the responsibilities of the president, he will have to resign from the post of Minister for Local Government, Rural Development, and Cooperatives.
At the same time, he will have to leave the responsibility of BNP secretary general. According to the Constitution, if he assumes responsibility as president, his MP seat will also not remain. As a result, the Thakurgaon-1 seat will become vacant; a by-election will have to be organized there.
According to the party constitution, if Fakhrul becomes president, Rizvi may get the responsibility of acting secretary general. He also received the responsibility of acting secretary general in 2011 while serving as the BNP’s senior joint secretary general.
Jamaat’s candidate also remains
The 11-party alliance led by the opposition in parliament, Jamaat-e-Islami, announced Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) President Col (retd) Oli Ahmad as their candidate for the presidency on Sunday.
However, since the BNP has two-thirds majority in Parliament, there is no significant concern within the party regarding the election results. Whoever the BNP nominates as a candidate will be significantly ahead on the path to becoming the next president, according to the calculation of parliamentary numbers.
Vote on 20 August
According to the schedule announced by the Election Commission (EC), 13 August is the last day for submitting nomination papers for the presidential election. Scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on 16 August. The last day for the withdrawal of candidacy is 18 August. And the voting will take place on 20 August.
If there are multiple candidates, voting will take place that day from 2 pm to 5 pm in the Parliament. Presidential Election Act said if the need to elect a president arises at any time outside of a parliamentary session, the EC will determine the voting date in consultation with the speaker.
A meeting of the Members of Parliament will be called on the day of the vote, and the Chief Election Commissioner will preside over that meeting.
Chief Whip Moni added that the special session for the presidential election might be for one day.
Regarding the BNP candidate, the Chief Whip’s statement is also clear - the final decision will be taken by Tarique.
After Mohammed Shahabuddin resigned from the post of president on 24 July due to illness, Hafiz assumed the responsibilities of the acting president in accordance with the Constitution.
