Shahabuddin set to become next President

Staff Reporter :
The ruling Awami League Advisory Council Member and ex-Commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Md Shahabuddin Chuppu, is set to become the next President of Bangladesh as the party has nominated him as presidential candidate.
The Awami League nominated candidate will be the next President of Bangladesh since no other political party having representation in the Parliament plans to nominate anyone for the presidential election. Additionally, the ruling party Awami League holds a commanding majority in the Parliament.
An AL delegation, led by party General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader along with Md Shahabuddin Chuppu, submitted the nomination paper in the Election Commission (EC) on Sunday morning.
The delegation included Awami League’s Presidium Members Mohammad Faruk Khan, Jahangir Kabir Nanok, Abdur Rahman, and Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud.
Obaidul Quader later briefed journalists confirming their presidential candidate during a press briefing at the Election Commission. Md Shahabuddin, a retired district and session judge, was also part of the AL delegation team. After submitting the nomination papers, Md Shahabuddin said that he had no immediate reaction. “All actions were carried out in accordance with the Divine Will of the Almighty Allah,” he said.
“The deadline for submitting nominations was 4:00 pm on Sunday. If no one other than Shahabuddin is nominated by that time, and his nomination papers are determined to be valid after examination on Monday, the Election Commission can declare him as the President elect,” EC officials stated.
Meanwhile, the presidential election is scheduled for February 19th, but it will only take place if there is more than one candidate. Although the role of the president is mostly ceremonial and they are required to act based on the advice of the Prime Minister, except for appointing the Premier and the Chief Justice, it gains some significance during election time due to the president’s role in issuing directives to aid the Election Commission in its functions.
As per Section 5 (2) of the Representation of the People’s Order, 1972, all executive authorities of the government must assist the EC in carrying out its functions, and the President may issue necessary directives after consulting with the Commission.
The tenure of Abdul Hamid, the incumbent President and longest-serving President of the country, will end on April 23rd and the Constitution does not allow for his re-election.
Article 50 (2) of the Constitution states that no person can hold office of the President for more than two terms, regardless of whether the terms are consecutive.
Hamid was appointed as acting president of Bangladesh on March 14th, 2013, while then-President Zillur Rahman was in the hospital in Singapore. Zillur passed away six days later. Hamid was then elected unopposed as President on April 22nd, 2013, and was sworn in two days later. On February 7th, 2018, he was re-elected unopposed for a second term.
Who is Shahabuddin Chuppu?
Md Shahabuddin Chuppu joined the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) during his student years. He served as the President of the Pabna District Chhatra League and later, in 1974, as the President of the Pabna District Jubo League.
Born in 1949 in Pabna, Shahabuddin was the convenor of the Swadhin Bangla Chhatra Sangram Parishad in the Pabna district in 1971 and took part in the Liberation War.
He earned a Master of Science degree from Rajshahi University in 1974 and went on to obtain an LLB degree from the same institution in 1975.
After the assassination of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in 1975, Shahabuddin was imprisoned.
In 1983, he began his career in judicial service and worked as a district judge until 2006. He was appointed by the Law Ministry as a representative in the case of Bangabandhu’s killing.
Shahabuddin also held positions such as Chairman of the labor court in 2006, a Supreme Court lawyer from 2008 to 2011, and ACC commissioner from March 2011 to March 2016.
In addition to serving on a judicial inquiry committee and serving as the chairman of a judicial inquiry commission, Shahabuddin participated in local and international events focused on case management and court management, organised by the Judicial Training Academy, and represented Bangladesh at an International Seminar in Beijing hosted by the Commonwealth. He worked as a journalist for Daily BanglarBani from 1980 to 1982 and is involved in various social, educational, and cultural organisations in the country.