Bangladesh's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) nominated its secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, 78, as its candidate for the presidency on Thursday, ahead of a presidential election set for August 20.
BNP nominates secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir for Bangladesh presidency
Bangladesh's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) nominated its secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, 78, as its candidate for the presidency on Thursday, ahead of a presidential election set for August 20.
Senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced the nomination, saying: '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.' The announcement followed a meeting of senior BNP leaders with Prime Minister and party chairman Tarique Rahman, according to news agency PTI.
If elected, Alamgir would become Bangladesh's 23rd president. Because Bangladesh's president is elected by Parliament, and the BNP holds a two-thirds majority in Parliament following its victory in the February 12 general election, Alamgir is considered to be in a position to secure the post.
The election was triggered by the resignation of former president Mohammed Shahabuddin, who stepped down on July 24 citing serious health problems, approximately two years before his five-year term was due to end. Some reports had alleged tensions between Shahabuddin and the BNP-led government, and that he had contacted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina — a claim Shahabuddin dismissed as 'baseless.' Under the Constitution, a new president must be elected within 90 days of the office falling vacant. Parliamentary Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad is currently serving as acting president.
Alamgir, an economist by training, began his political career as a left-leaning student activist when Bangladesh was still part of Pakistan. He joined the BNP in the early 1990s, became the party's acting secretary general in 2011, and formally took over the post in 2016.
- The source does not state whether any other party or candidate has entered or is expected to enter the presidential race.
- The source does not state the specific nature of the reported tensions between Shahabuddin and the BNP-led government, nor identify the reports that alleged them.
- The source does not state the exact medical condition Shahabuddin cited when resigning.
- The source does not state whether Alamgir has made any public statement in response to his nomination.
- The source does not state what role, if any, former prime minister Sheikh Hasina or her party plays in the current political landscape.
Read the original at The Times of India