Dhaka, Aug 13 (V7N)- Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has nominated its Secretary General and Local Government Affairs Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as its candidate for the country’s 23rd presidential election.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced the decision at a briefing at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Thursday afternoon.

The decision was taken by BNP Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. With the nomination, Mirza Fakhrul is set to become the next occupant of Bangabhaban, subject to the completion of the election process.

Rizvi also announced that Mirza Fakhrul has resigned from his positions as BNP Secretary General and a member of the party’s Standing Committee. He is also expected to step down from his cabinet position and parliamentary seat as he enters the presidential race.

Mirza Fakhrul will contest against Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Chairman Col. (retd.) Oli Ahmed Bir Bikram, who has been nominated by the 11-party alliance led by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami.

The alliance submitted Oli Ahmed’s nomination papers to the Election Commission on Thursday morning, the final day for filing nominations. Mirza Fakhrul’s nomination papers are also expected to be submitted to the EC.

According to the presidential election schedule, nomination papers will be scrutinized on August 16, while the last date for withdrawal of candidacy is August 18. Voting is scheduled to take place on August 20 in the session room of the National Assembly.

As there are multiple candidates this time, voting will be required to elect the president. It will be the first contested presidential election in Bangladesh in 35 years, with members of parliament casting their votes.

However, as BNP holds a two-thirds majority in parliament, Mirza Fakhrul is widely expected to secure victory and become the country’s 23rd president.

Mirza Fakhrul, a veteran BNP leader from Thakurgaon, has served as the party’s Secretary General during some of its most challenging political periods. His departure from the party’s top leadership will mark a significant change in BNP’s organizational structure.

END/SMA/AJ