Punjab Newsline | Dhaka
Bangladesh is set to hold its presidential election on Thursday, marking the first contested presidential poll in the country in 35 years. Unlike a direct presidential system, Bangladesh elects its president through a vote by members of Parliament.
A total of 349 MPs are eligible to cast their ballots. Polling will be held from 2 pm to 5 pm in the National Parliament session chamber.
Chief Election Commissioner A.M.M. Nasir Uddin will brief lawmakers on the voting procedure before polling begins. To ensure transparency, the Election Commission has also announced that the counting of votes will be broadcast live.
The presidential contest is between ruling BNP candidate Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Colonel (Retd.) Oli Ahmed, the candidate backed by an 11-party alliance led by the main opposition Jamaat-e-Islami.
The contest is widely expected to favour Fakhrul, as the BNP secured a two-thirds majority in Parliament in the February general election.
The Election Commission began preparing ballot papers on Tuesday. Each ballot paper will have separate sections for official records and voting. MPs are required to write their names and sign at a designated place before receiving a ballot paper and then write their name and sign against their chosen candidate.
Election Commission Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed confirmed that the nominations of both candidates were valid. The deadline for withdrawing nominations ended at 4 pm on Tuesday, but neither candidate withdrew.
Bangladesh has held 12 presidential elections so far, eight of which were uncontested. The first presidential election after the Constitution came into force was held in 1974, when lawmakers elected Mohammad Mohammadullah.
A 1975 constitutional amendment introduced direct presidential elections, leading to popular votes in 1978, 1981 and 1986. However, the parliamentary system was restored in 1991, bringing back the system of electing the president through Parliament.
The 1991 presidential election was contested by two candidates. Since then, presidential elections through 2023 were held without a contest, as opposition parties largely avoided fielding candidates.
Thursday’s election therefore marks the first competitive presidential poll in Bangladesh since 1991, with lawmakers once again required to choose between two candidates.
