Collected PhotoBNP-nominated Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is set to become the country’s next President as MPs go to the polls today, with the BNP and its allies commanding an overwhelming majority and Article 70 of the Constitution leaving little room for floor crossing.
Voting for the 23rd presidential election will be held at the session hall of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban from 2pm to 5pm, 35 years after the last contested presidential election under the parliamentary system.
Fakhrul, former BNP secretary general, is contesting against Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Chairman Col (retd) Oli Ahmed, the candidate of the Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party alliance.
Of the 349 eligible voters, 247 are aligned with the BNP or Fakhrul. One of them, BNP MP Mirza Abbas of Dhaka-8, is abroad for medical treatment, leaving 246 BNP MPs likely to cast their votes. Three votes from BNP allies – Ganosamhati Andolan, Gono Odhikar Parishad and Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) – could further strengthen Fakhrul’s position.
The 11-party alliance has 90 MPs – 77 from Jamaat-e-Islami, eight from the National Citizens Party (NCP), three from Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, one from Khelafat Majlis and one from the Jatiya Ganotantrik Party (Jagpa).
That leaves nine voters outside the two major political blocs: one MP from Islami Andolan Bangladesh and eight independents. Their voting choices have attracted particular attention despite the overwhelming numerical advantage enjoyed by the BNP camp.
The independent MPs are AZM Rezwanul Islam of Dinajpur-5, Md Lutfur Rahman Khan Azad of Tangail-3, Mohammad Salman Omar of Mymensingh-1, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Iqbal of Kishoreganj-5, Rumin Farhana of Brahmanbaria-2, Atikul Alam of Cumilla-7, Md Abdul Hannan of Chandpur-4 and Sultana Jesmin of reserved women’s seat No. 49.
Almost all of the independents were previously involved in BNP politics, although they are free to vote for either candidate. Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s lone MP, Mohammad Oliullah of Barguna-1, is also outside the two alliances.
The president and prime minister are among the 349 voters. There is no provision for an absent MP to cast a vote through another person. The Chattogram-4 seat is vacant after its elected candidate was declared ineligible following a court order.
Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin said on Wednesday that the result announced after counting would be final and that the gazette notification would be issued on the same day.
“The entire nation, and even the world, knows that the presidential election will be held. This is the first election since 1991,” he said.
The CEC acknowledged that the Election Commission had limited institutional experience in conducting such an election but said it had made all necessary preparations.
Three nomination papers were received on August 13 – one from the BNP and two from the 11-party alliance.
After scrutiny, the nominations of Fakhrul and Oli were declared valid, and neither candidate withdrew before the 4pm deadline on Tuesday.
As a result, the election will be contested rather than held uncontested.
The CEC said the voting procedure differs depending on whether Parliament is in session. Since Parliament is not in session, a special meeting has been convened for MPs to cast their ballots.
The voting by the president, prime minister and Speaker will be broadcast live, with Bangladesh Television possibly carrying the proceedings.
The broadcast will be suspended during voting and resumed during counting.
MPs may remain in Parliament after casting their ballots and can also observe the counting.
The EC will disclose the number of votes cast, rejected and damaged ballots, as well as the votes secured by each candidate, before announcing the winner.
Legal challenges dismissed
Attorney General Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal said there was “not the slightest legal obstacle” to holding the presidential election after the High Court dismissed a writ challenging it.
The court on Wednesday rejected a petition seeking directions to make candidates who contested the latest parliamentary election eligible to vote in the presidential election.
Another writ seeking a stay on the election schedule was dismissed by the High Court on Tuesday.
Article 70 of the Constitution provides that an MP elected as a candidate of a political party will lose the seat if they resign from that party or vote against it in Parliament. It does not, however, bar the MP from contesting or becoming a member of Parliament in a subsequent election.
The petitioner argued that Article 70 prevents MPs from voting independently and undermines their democratic rights.
First contested race since 1991
The last contested presidential election under the parliamentary system was held on October 8, 1991, following the restoration of the system.
The BNP then had 140 general seats, while the Awami League had 88, Jatiya Party 35, Jamaat-e-Islami 18, the Communist Party of Bangladesh five, Krishak Sramik Awami League five and six other parties one seat each. The BNP also had 28 reserved women’s seats and Jamaat two.
The BNP nominated Abdur Rahman Biswas, while the Awami League nominated Justice Badrul Haider Chowdhury.
Biswas won with 172 votes among 330 voters, receiving four votes beyond the BNP’s strength. Justice Badrul Haider Chowdhury secured 92 votes, while 66 MPs abstained.
Every presidential election since then has been uncontested, with only one candidate in the race.
20 officials assigned
The Election Commission has appointed 20 officials, including EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed, to assist CEC and Election Officer AMM Nasir Uddin in conducting Thursday’s election.
They will perform their duties at the Parliament Chamber of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban from 2pm.
The CEC will act as the election officer, assisted by officials from the Election Commission Secretariat.
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