Presidential election within February 23 : EC

Staff Reporter :
In the country’s political arena, especially in the ruling Awami League the most discussed question at the moment is — who will be the next president of Bangladesh?
It is known to all that next few month, precisely the next parliamentary election which already slated for January next year, is the most important in the country as it will be decided where the country will go?
At this situation, AL rank and file believes someone trustworthy should be holding the president’s office during that crucial period.
Meanwhile, Election Commission (EC) announced as the presidential election of Bangladesh will be held within February 23.
EC Secretary Md Jahangir Alam said this while talking to reporters
after a meeting held at EC building on Sunday.
“The process has already started. We will contact the Parliament Secretariat and fix the date of the Chief Election Commissioner’s meeting with the Speaker,” he said.
However, though the post of the president is mostly ceremonial — they are to act as per the advice of the prime minister, except when appointing the premier and the chief justice — it takes on some significance during polls-time given his say in issuing directives to help the Election Commission function effectively.
As of now, there has been no indication from the AL high command about who might succeed Abdul Hamid. Party President Sheikh Hasina is yet to discuss the issue with her colleagues.
This is why several names have come up in the discussions among the AL leaders, activists and beyond. That the matter will have to be settled during the current session of parliament, set to conclude on February 9, only accelerated the discussion.
There are several names being talked about among leaders and activists of the Awami League, including Speaker of Parliament Dr Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury, Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Awami League presidium member and former minister Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, Matia Chowdhury, as well as some former ministers, bureaucrats, and justices.
A popular, well-known, educated, and trusted person who is acceptable to all will be elected as the president of the country, party insiders said.
Current President Abdul Hamid cannot be elected president for another term as the country’s constitution allows a maximum of two terms for a person in the post of president.
Hamid is the only president who has been serving for two consecutive terms. His second and last tenure will expire on April 24 this year.
On April 24, 2013, Abdul Hamid was sworn in as the 20th President of Bangladesh.
After the end of his first tenure, Hamid also took oath as the President on the same date in 2018 for the second term. Lawmakers vote in the presidential election, which is supposed to be held in the House with the CEC acting as the election officer.