BNP authorises party chief Tarique Rahman to choose presidential nominee

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) standing committee has authorised party chief and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to select the party’s candidate for the presidency.

The decision was made at a meeting of the party’s standing committee held at the BNP chairperson’s political office in the capital's Gulshan on Saturday night (August 1).

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the standing committee had entrusted party chief Tarique Rahman with the responsibility of taking the necessary decisions regarding the presidential election and finalising the party’s nominee.

Mirza Fakhrul said the meeting held extensive discussions on the country’s overall political situation. The committee also reviewed issues related to local government elections and various organisational matters within the party.

He described the meeting, which lasted about one and a half hours under Tarique Rahman’s chairmanship, as productive.

BNP standing committee member and Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said responsibility for matters related to the presidential election had been assigned to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in his capacity as the party chief.

Asked whether a special session of parliament would be required for the presidential election, Salahuddin Ahmed said that once the election schedule is announced, the matter would be discussed with the Speaker if a special session becomes necessary.

The meeting, chaired by Tarique Rahman, lasted more than one and a half hours. It was attended by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Nazrul Islam Khan, Salahuddin Ahmed, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, Selima Rahman and Dr AZM Zahid Hossain.