Who is the 22nd President, will be known in the afternoon
The deadline for filing nomination papers for the country’s 22nd presidential election is Sunday (February 12) at 4 pm. The ruling party Awami League will announce the presidential candidate in the afternoon.
This morning, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader’s delegation will go to the Election Commission to submit the nomination papers of the party’s candidates, the office secretary of the party, Barrister Biplab Barua, told the media.
Verification of nomination papers will be on February 13, last date for withdrawal of candidature is February 14. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal announced the election schedule on January 25, keeping the polling date on February 19.
Voting will be held at Jatiya Sangsad Bhavan from 2 pm to 5 pm on the presidential election day. Voters themselves are members of parliament. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal will be the ‘Electoral Officer’ of this election.
According to Election Commission sources, no one has taken nomination papers for the post of President till Saturday. However, if one wants to, one can also download the nomination form online and submit it. Normally nomination papers are collected from commission for this post. For this, the election officer’s office has been kept open on holidays, Friday and Saturday. EC Joint Secretary (Election Management Section-2) Farhad Ahmed Khan and Deputy Secretary Md. Atiyar Rahman office to collect and submit nomination papers.
President Md. Abdul Hamid’s second term ends on April 24. He has been the president for two consecutive terms. According to the country’s constitution, he is no longer eligible to become president. Because of this, someone new will be seen in his place. 17 presidents have served since independence. The 18th person will take over as the President of the country through this election.
According to the constitutional obligation, someone new as the 22nd president must be sworn in by April 23. The current president’s term ends on April 23. The new presidential election must be completed within 90 to 60 days of its predecessor. Accordingly, the Election Commission has also announced the schedule.
According to the rules, anyone above 35 years of age and eligible to be elected as a Member of Parliament can run for the presidency. The President is nominated by political parties and elected by the members of Parliament. However, it requires the proposal of one member of parliament and the support of another member of parliament. Article 48(1) of the Constitution states that there shall be a President of Bangladesh, who shall be elected by the members of Parliament according to law.
The names being discussed as candidates of the ruling party are: Advisor to the Prime Minister on Economic Affairs Moshiur Rahman, former Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque and Syed Mahmud Hossain, Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury, Roads and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Awami League Presidium member and Member of Parliament Mosharraf Hossain. And Awami League Member of Parliament Mostafizur Rahman Fizer.
Leaders at the policy-making level of Awami League said that Awami League president and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will take the final decision on who will be the next president. Whoever he deems fit will be the next president. He was given the power to nominate party candidates in the Awami League parliamentary party meeting on February 7.
Bangladesh Awami League is the largest party in the current parliament. Therefore, it can be assumed that the candidate who will be supported from this party will be elected. If there is no candidate other than the candidate of the ruling party, it will be known on Sunday afternoon who is the 22nd President of the country. However, if there is a single candidate as per legal obligation and he does not withdraw his candidature, he will be declared elected unopposed at the end of the withdrawal period.
It should be noted that the current President M Abdul Hamid served as the Acting President from March 14, 2013. When President Zillur Rahman died on March 20 that year, he served as the interim president from that day. He was subsequently elected President unopposed on 22 April and was sworn in as the 20th President of Bangladesh on 24 April. Then on February 7, 2018, he was elected president unopposed for the second consecutive term. Abdul Hamid. He was sworn in as the 21st President on 24 April the same year. According to the constitution, he cannot be a candidate for the post as he has held the office of President for two terms.
-Sr
