Md Shahabuddin set to become next President of Bangladesh
A delegation led by Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, also the the general secretary of Bangladesh Awami League, submitted the nomination to the Election Commission on Sunday (12 February) morning
Md Shahabuddin, a retired judge and former commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), is set to become the next President of Bangladesh as Awami League nominated him as its presidential candidate today.
According to the Constitution of Bangladesh, members of parliament are voters in the presidential election. Awami League has an overwhelming majority in the current parliament. In that case, there is no possibility of any political party other than the Awami League nominating a candidate to the presidential polls. So it is assumed that Md Shahabuddin will be the next President of Bangladesh.
A delegation led by Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, also the general secretary of Bangladesh Awami League, submitted the nomination to the Election Commission (EC) on Sunday (12 February) morning.
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Responding to reporters, Md Shahabuddin said, "There is no reaction now. This is the Almighty Allah's will."
Following the nomination submission, Obaidul Quader said, "Bangladesh Awami League has decided to nominate Md Shahabuddin for the post of the country's 22nd president. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the president of Awami League, has finalised the nomination."
"Shahabuddin was born in 1949 in Pabna and is a lawyer by profession. He is a member of the party's advisory council. He previously served as a district and sessions judge and ACC commissioner."
"He was the convenor of Pabna district's Swadhin Bangla Chhatra Shongram Parishad in 1971. He is also a freedom fighter. He joined the BCS as a judicial cadre in 1982 and was elected as the general secretary of the Judicial Service Association in 1995.
"He also served as the coordinator appointed by the law ministry in the case filed over the assassination of Bangabandhu. He served as the chairman of the Judicial Inquiry Commission set up after the 2001 general polls to investigate the murders, rapes and looting and inhumane activities committed by the leaders of the BNP-Jamaat alliance," Quader added.
The Awami League general secretary said, "Shahabuddin served as the president of Pabna District Chhatra League during his student life and served as the president of Pabna District Jubo League in 1974.
"Shahabuddin was imprisoned following the brutal assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Majibur Rahman in 1975. He also was the election commissioner in the last National Council of Bangladesh Awami League."
He is married to Professor Dr Rebecca Sultana, a former government official and the two have one son, Quader concluded his brief.
Addressing the press on today's developments, EC Secretary Jahangir Alam said, "As per the schedule announced by the Election Commission (EC), today (Sunday) is the day for submitting nominations for the upcoming presidential election. So far, Bangladesh Awami League has filed two nominations in the name of the same person.
"The candidate is Md Shahabuddin . He is the son of late Sharfuddin Ansari from Pabna. Noakhali-5 MP Obaidul Quader submitted the nominations. Chattogtam-7 MP Md Hashan Mahmud was named as the supporter for the nominations."
He said, "The nominations were submitted around 11am. These two applications will be scrutinised and an announcement will be made in this regard tomorrow (Monday)."
"When asked what would be the process in case of a sole candidate for the president's post, the secretary said, "We will announce who has been elected as the next Bangladesh president on the last day scheduled for withdrawal of nominations."
But since there are only two applications, that too of the same candidate, the matter will be finalised tomorrow. Everything will be done as per the existing law, the EC secretary added.
Jahangir also informed that the same person can file a maximum of three nominations for the president's office.
According to the schedule, the presidential election will be held on February 19 as the tenure of incumbent President Abdul Hamid nears an end.
The final date for submitting nomination papers was today and those will be reviewed on Monday (13 February), as per the EC.
The commission set 14 February as the final date for withdrawing nominations.
Voting will be held at Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban from 2pm to 5pm on 19 February.
According to the constitution, a new president has to be elected within 90 to 60 days prior to the end of the incumbent president's tenure.
The previous presidential election schedule was announced on 25 January 2018.
Abdul Hamid was elected president unopposed for the second term on 6 February though the election was slated for February 18.
President Hamid is set to complete his tenure in April 23 this year.
