11-Party alliance's presidential candidate Col. Oli Ahmed

Jamaat-e-Islami led 11-party alliance has chosen Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Chairman Col (retd)Dr. Oli Ahmed as its candidate for the upcoming presidential election.

Alliance leader and opposition Chief Whip,National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam revealed it on Sunday (9 August) after a meeting of the alliance at the official residence of Opposition Leader Dr Shafiqur Rahman on Minto Road in the capital.

Meanwhile, reliable sources said that BNP has chosen the party’s Secretary General and LGRD Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as their presidential candidate while the ruling party on Sunday collected two nomination forms for the presidential election.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi and Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni collected the forms from the office of the Returning Officer at the Nirbachan Bhaban in Agargaon.

As the President is elected by Members of Parliament, the BNP candidate is widely expected to win given the party’s single majority in Parliament.

Earlier, Election Commission (EC) Secretary Akhtar Ahmed on Thursday (6 August) announced the schedule of the president election.

As per the schedule nomination papers could be submitted till 13 August. On August 16, the nomination papers will be scrutinized. The last day of withdrawal of the nomination is 18 August.

Apart from these, the voter list was sent to the election commission from the Parliament secretariat as part of the preparation of president election, sources said.

As part of the constitutional procedures of president election, the Parliament secretariat has sent the voter list prepared combining Members of Parliament (MPs).

Meanwhile, election commission sources said, after getting the voter list, the EC will scrutinize that and then to initiate necessary procedures.

As per the national constitution, only elected members of the parliament are eligible to elect president of the country.

As per the rule, EC has to conduct President election within 90 days after s vacant.

There are rule to elect the president through MP’s secrete vote.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin will take the responsibility of the Returning Officer.

Speaker of the Parliament has taken the responsibility of Acting President of the country.

Earlier on Monday (3 August), EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said, “After receiving voter list, we will discuss over the schedule of president election.

The 22th President of the country, Mohammed Shahabuddin was resigned on 24 July. The EC has started procedures to announce the schedule of election to elect the 23rd president of the country.

The CEC has talked with the Speaker of the Parliament on the issue.