BNP on Thursday filed the nomination paper of its presidential candidate Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir for the 20 August election.
A delegation submitted the paper to Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, the returning officer, at Nirbachan Bhaban in Dhaka’s Agargaon at 2:24pm.
In the nomination paper, Abdul Moyeen Khan proposed Fakhrul as a presidential candidate while Gayeshwar Chandra Roy seconded his candidacy.
The delegation members include standing committee members Moyeen Khan, Gayeshwar, Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni, joint secretary generals Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee, Habib Un‑Nabi Khan Sohel and Abdus Salam Pintu.
BNP had earlier announced Fakhrul, its secretary general and LGRD minister, as candidate following a meeting with the party Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. Fakhrul has since resigned from his party posts.
Meanwhile, the 11‑party opposition alliance, led by Jamaat‑e‑Islami, also submitted the nomination paper of its candidate Col (Retd) Oli Ahmed at 11:49am.
The delegation was led by Jamaat Assistant Secretary General AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad. The alliance had earlier named Oli Ahmed, chairman of LDP, as its candidate.
The Election Commission announced the schedule on 6 August, fixing 20 August for voting. Nomination papers will be scrutinised on 16 August, with 18 August the last date for withdrawal.
Voting will take place from 2pm to 5pm in the Jatiya Sangsad chamber, with 349 MPs eligible to cast ballots.
This will be the first contested presidential election in 35 years, the last being in 1991. The post fell vacant after President Mohammed Shahabuddin resigned on 24 July, with Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad taking charge as acting president. Under Article 123(2) of the Constitution, the election must be held within 90 days of a vacancy.
