Shahabuddin set to become next president of Bangladesh

Mohammed Shahabuddin, a former ACC commissioner and a freedom fighter, has been announced as the Awami League's nominee for the next president of Bangladesh.

A delegation from the AL led by party general secretary Obaidul Quader handed the nomination paper to the Election Commission on Sunday morning.

Quader, who is also the minister for roads, bridges, and transportation, informed the media of the development after submitting the papers.

The candidate of the ruling party will take office as the nation's next president because no other political party with representation in the parliament is expected to put out a candidate, and because the ruling party holds a crushing majority in the parliament.

Prior to this, the AL parliamentary party led by its President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had finalized the nomination on February 7.

The AL delegation team came to the EC Bhaban at Agargaon here at 10.45am for submitting the nomination paper signed by party's General Secretary Obaidul Quader as the proposer and it's Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud as the supporter of the proposal.

Chief Whip Noor-E-Alam Chowdhury, AL Presidium Members Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Faruque Khan and Abdur Rahman, Office Secretary Biplob Barua, and Information and Research Secretary Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap, among others, were present at the EC office at that time.

Meanwhile, the aspirants for the presidential election will have to submit their nomination papers to the EC today.

"According to the polls schedule, the nomination papers can be submitted to the Chief Election Commission (CEC) office till 4 pm on Sunday," EC Secretariat Secretary Md Jahangir Alam told BSS earlier.

Scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on February 13 from 10 am, while nomination papers can be withdrawn till 4pm on February 14.

On February 19, the 22nd Presidential election will be held from 2 pm to 5 pm in the Jatiya Sangsad (JS) complex.

The President may hold office for five years from the date of assumption of office.

Incumbent President M Abdul Hamid assumed office on April 24, 2018. Accordingly, his five-year tenure will end on April 23, 2023.

According to the country's Constitution, members of parliament are voters in the presidential election.

Awami League has the absolute majority in the current parliament.

In that case, there is no possibility of any party other than the Awami League to give a candidate for the presidential polls.

If there is one candidate for the presidency, the election will not require a meeting or voting in parliament.

Shahbuddin Chuppu was born in 1949 in Pabna and is a lawyer by profession. He is a member of the party's advisory council. He previously served as a district and sessions judge and an ACC commissioner.

He was the convener of Pabna district's Swadhin Bangla Chhatra Sangram Parishad in 1971. He is also a freedom fighter. He joined the judicial service in 1982 and was elected as the general secretary of the Judicial Service Association in 1995.

He also served as the coordinator appointed by the law ministry in the case filed over the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Chuppu, as well, served as the chairman of the Judicial Inquiry Commission after the 2001 general elections to investigate the murders, rapes and looting and inhumane activities committed by the BNP-Jamaat alliance, Quader said.

The AL general secretary also said Chuppu was the Pabna District Chhatra League president during his student life and served as the president of Pabna District Jubo League in 1974.

He was imprisoned following the brutal assassination of the Father of the Nation in 1975. He was also the election commissioner in the last National Council of Bangladesh Awami League.

He is married to Professor Dr Rebecca Sultana, a former government official and the couple has one son, Quader concluded.

With BSS inputs