Bangladesh sets Aug. 20 for presidential election

Bangladesh’s Election Commission (EC) on Thursday set Aug. 20 for the country’s presidential election.

The announcement came after the previous president, a close ally of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, resigned last month citing health reasons.

Akhter Ahmed, senior secretary of the EC Secretariat, announced the schedule, saying Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin would serve as the election officer.

The deadline for filing nomination papers is Aug. 13, while scrutiny of the nominations will take place Aug. 16, Ahmed said.

Traditionally, the sole candidate nominated by the ruling party wins the presidential election unopposed, eliminating the need for a vote. If only one candidate is nominated, the new president could be elected Aug. 16.

If more than one candidate contests the election, voting will be held in parliament on Aug. 20.

The ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) holds a parliamentary majority, making its nominee the likely winner.

Since the introduction of parliamentary democracy in 1991, voting has taken place only once because more than one candidate contested the presidential election.

Mohammed Shahabuddin, who served as president under Hasina’s Awami League government, resigned July 24 citing health reasons, before completing his five-year term, which was due to expire in 2028.

His resignation came amid growing demands from opposition parties for him to step down.

Parliament Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed has assumed duties as interim president.