Gazi Nazrul’s vote adds intrigue to today’s presidential election

The presidential election is set to take place today (August 20), 35 years after the country last held a contested presidential vote, with independent MP Gazi Nazrul Islam emerging as a point of interest ahead of the ballot.

Under the Election Commission schedule, voting will begin at 2pm and continue without interruption until 5pm in the Jatiya Sangsad chamber.

While two candidates are contesting the election, political attention is focused on Gazi Nazrul, an independent lawmaker from Satkhira-4, whose voting decision remains uncertain.

Expelled from Jamaat-e-Islami, Gazi Nazrul remains eligible to vote in the presidential election as an independent MP. However, he has yet to decide which candidate to support or whether he will attend the polling venue and cast his ballot.

Gazi Nazrul said his expulsion from the party does not affect his right as an MP to vote in the presidential election. He said he would make a final decision around noon Thursday on whether to vote and, if he does, whom to support.

The presidential race pits BNP-nominated candidate Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir against Colonel (retd) Oli Ahmed, chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party and candidate of an 11-party alliance led by Jamaat-e-Islami.

Mirza Fakhrul is in a stronger position due to the BNP’s parliamentary majority. However, the votes of eight independent MPs have become a separate focus of political calculations, as they are free to vote according to their own preferences. The BNP has reportedly approached independent lawmakers seeking support for its candidate.

The Jatiya Sangsad has 350 seats, but Chattogram-4 is currently vacant, leaving 349 MPs eligible to vote in the presidential election. Party lawmakers are generally expected to follow their respective party positions, while independent MPs can choose either candidate.