Opposition awaits consensus

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, the National Citizen Party (NCP) and Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis have yet to decide their strategy for the upcoming presidential election, saying they will determine their position after internal consultations over the weekend.

The uncertainty follows the Election Commission’s announcement on Thursday that the presidential election will be held on 20 August. However, the election could be decided uncontested if opposition parties opt not to nominate a candidate.

The three key partners in the alliance on Friday informed that they were still weighing their options, including whether to field a candidate, support another nominee or adopt a different course.

Jamaat Assistant Secretary General and head of the party’s media wing, Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair, said no decision had yet been taken.

Whether Jamaat would nominate its own candidate, endorse another contender or boycott the election, Zubair replied: “Nothing can be said at this moment.
We have a meeting today (Saturday), where the issue will be discussed.”

Party sources said Jamaat’s central executive council is scheduled to meet on Saturday, when the party is expected to decide its position on the presidential race.

Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis also said it would wait until discussions among alliance partners are completed before making any announcement.

“We have a party meeting tomorrow, and Jamaat also has a meeting. A joint decision will be made after discussions,” said Khelafat Majlis Secretary General Maulana Jalaluddin Ahmad.

The National Citizen Party likewise said it had not yet reached a decision.
NCP Member Secretary Akhtar Hossen said,”We will discuss the matter internally and then make a decision.

Only after that will we are able to say anything,” Hamidur Rahman Azad, coordinator of the alliance’s liaison committee, said the positions of Jamaat and the other alliance partners were expected to become clear after Saturday’s meetings.

Under the Election Commission’s schedule, 13 August is the deadline for submitting nomination papers. The date is expected to indicate whether the presidential election will be contested.

Nomination papers will be scrutinised on 16 August. If only one valid candidate remains following scrutiny, the Election Commission will declare that candidate elected on the same day, making a vote unnecessary.

Under the Constitution, only members of parliament are eligible to vote in the presidential election.

As the BNP commands an overwhelming majority in the current parliament, its nominee is widely expected to be elected president, although the party has yet to formally announce its candidate.

Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad has been serving as acting president since Mohammed Shahabuddin resigned on 24 July. The Constitution requires a new president to be elected within 90 days of the office becoming vacant.