Now Reading: Bangladesh to elect president on August 20 after Shahabuddin resigns
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Bangladesh to elect president on August 20 after Shahabuddin resigns
Bangladesh to elect president on August 20 after Shahabuddin resigns
Bangladesh will elect a new president on August 20, the Election Commission announced on Thursday, two weeks after Mohammed Shahabuddin resigned citing health complications. Parliament members will vote between 2 pm and…
The Story in Brief
Bangladesh will elect a new president on August 20, the Election Commission announced on Thursday, two weeks after Mohammed Shahabuddin resigned citing health complications. Parliament members will vote between 2 pm and 5 pm at the Jatiya Sangsad session hall. The Hindu reports that Hafiz Uddin Ahmed is serving as acting president for 90 days, while LiveMint identifies Kayser Kamal as the acting speaker consulted on the schedule.
Nomination papers will be accepted on August 13, scrutinised on August 16 and may be withdrawn until August 18. No vote will be held if a consensus candidate remains. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party holds a two-thirds majority in the 350-member parliament but has not announced its nominee. Shahabuddin, who took office in April 2023, resigned before completing his five-year term.
The Indian Opinion
The lazy reading is that this is either a routine constitutional exercise or proof of a fresh power struggle. Both claims run ahead of the facts. Shahabuddin cited health reasons, while reports also point to unease between his largely ceremonial office and the government. The real measure is whether the BNP names a candidate who wins without a contest, as has usually happened since parliamentary democracy returned in 1991. The nomination list on August 13 will provide the first clear test.
Sources (2): livemint.com, thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
