BNP nominates stalwart Mirza Fakhrul for Bangladesh presidential poll

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has chosen Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, a 78-year-old veteran politician, as its candidate for the upcoming presidential election set for August 20. Speaking on behalf of the party, senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced the decision, stating, "It is with great pleasure that I announce on behalf of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party that our dedicated secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, has become the BNP’s presidential candidate." Should he be elected, Alamgir would assume the role of the 23rd president of Bangladesh.

The nomination came after a meeting between senior BNP leaders and party chairman Tarique Rahman, according to news agency PTI. The presidential election was prompted by the resignation of former president Mohammed Shahabuddin, who stepped down on July 24 due to health issues, nearly two years before his term was to end. Rumors of conflicts with the BNP-led government and alleged contacts with opposition leader Sheikh Hasina surfaced, but Alamgir dismissed these as "baseless."

Alamgir, a trained economist, started his political journey as a left-leaning student activist during Bangladesh's time in Pakistan. He joined the BNP in the early 1990s and served as acting secretary general from 2011 to 2016. The BNP recently emerged victorious in the February 12 general election and now commands a two-thirds majority in Parliament. Given that the president is elected by Parliament, Alamgir finds himself in a strong position to secure the presidency.