'11-Party alliance nominates presidential candidacy due to restrain pace of democracy'

11-Party Alliance Nominates Oli Ahmed for Presidential Election

The 11-party alliance has nominated Col. (retd) Oli Ahmed as its candidate for the upcoming presidential election in a bid to strengthen parliamentary democracy, alliance coordinator Hamidur Rahman Azad said on Thursday.

He made the remarks while speaking to journalists after submitting Oli Ahmed’s nomination form to the Chief Election Commissioner.

Hamidur Rahman Azad said that, historically, presidential candidates in Bangladesh’s parliamentary democracy had generally been nominated by the ruling party. The then opposition Awami League was the only exception, having nominated a candidate in 1991.

“We have nominated a candidate in the upcoming presidential election this time in a bid to ensure a healthy pace of democracy,” he said.

The Jamaat-e-Islami leader said the government had failed to implement the referendum and amend Article 70 of the Constitution. Such an amendment, he said, would allow MPs to vote independently on most issues, except finance bills and no-confidence motions.

“If such reforms are implemented, Col. Oli will emerge as the next president,” he said.

Hamidur Rahman Azad also criticised the BNP over a recent political meeting between senior party leaders and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Secretariat.