Government not rushing to pick next president, whose name being discussed most?

The government and the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) are not rushing to choose the country's next president. The government plans to hold the presidential election during the next session of the Jatiya Sangsad in September.

Before that, the BNP's National Standing Committee will decide whether to nominate a party member or someone from outside the party for the presidency. Several names are currently being discussed among party leaders and activists.

According to senior government and BNP sources, one reason for delaying the election is the proposed constitutional amendments. The government is preparing to place the 18th Amendment Bill before parliament during its next session in September.

The bill may incorporate several key proposals from the July National Charter, including provisions aimed at creating a better balance of powers between the president and the prime minister. If the amendments alter the president's powers and responsibilities, it would be more appropriate to elect a new president after those changes become clear.

Senior BNP figures involved in policymaking believe that if the constitutional amendments expand the president's powers and responsibilities beyond the current largely ceremonial role, the criteria for selecting a candidate will also change.

However, discussions within the government and the BNP's policymaking circles suggest that, if the party nominates one of its own, the name most frequently mentioned so far is Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, minister for local government, rural development and cooperatives and BNP secretary general.

It is also understood that a section of the party is actively supporting Mirza Fakhrul’s nomination. At the same time, several alternative candidates also remain under consideration by the party and government leadership.

After Mohammed Shahabuddin resigned as president last Friday, Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad assumed the responsibilities of acting president.

Under the Constitution, a new president must be elected within 90 days of the office becoming vacant through resignation. As the BNP holds an overwhelming majority in parliament, the party's nominee is almost certain to be elected.

While speaking to journalists in Bogura on Saturday, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was asked about the next presidential election. He said the party's policymaking forum, the standing committee, would decide in accordance with the Constitution and the law whether to nominate a party member or someone from outside the party.

Sources within the BNP's policymaking circles said the views of BNP Chairperson and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will be decisive in the final choice.

However, the formal decision on such an important constitutional office will be taken only after discussions within the standing committee. Many senior BNP leaders are still reluctant to comment publicly on the names of potential candidates.

Several factors are working in Mirza Fakhrul's favour if the BNP opts for a party nominee. He serving more than a decade as secretary general, his role in keeping the party united during what it describes as the Awami League government's years of repression, his political image, and his acceptability beyond the party are all being considered important.

Former law adviser to the interim government Professor Asif Nazrul and several others have already publicly described him as the "best candidate" for the presidency.

However, appointing Mirza Fakhrul as president would require several simultaneous changes within both the party and the government. He would have to relinquish his post as local government minister, while the BNP would also need to appoint a new secretary general.

Under the Constitution, assuming the presidency would also vacate his Thakurgaon-1 parliamentary seat. According to the sources, whether the BNP is willing to undertake such a reshuffle of the party, cabinet and parliament so early in the government's tenure will be an important consideration in its decision-making.

Alongside Mirza Fakhrul, the names of BNP Standing Committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Abdul Moyeen Khan and Nazrul Islam Khan are also under discussion.

Considerations such as age, physical condition, and where each leader's role is most needed within the party and the government have narrowed the list of potential candidates. The name of acting president and Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad is also being discussed in some BNP circles.

The option of nominating someone from outside the party has not been ruled out entirely. The name of a former chief justice has emerged in that context.

Earlier, Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani was also mentioned as a possible candidate. However, according to a senior government source, the likelihood of Nasimul Ghani becoming president is now slim. As a result, those familiar with the discussions believe the next president is more likely to be chosen from among politicians.

Law Minister Mohammad Asaduzzaman told journalists in the capital on Friday that there would be no need to convene a special session of parliament to elect the president.

The last parliamentary session ended on 15 July, and under the Constitution the next session must be held within 60 days. The government expects the presidential election to be completed during that session, he added.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission (EC) has begun preparations for the presidential election. After finalising the electoral roll of the members of parliament, it will announce the election schedule.

If there is more than one candidate, voting will be conducted by open ballot at the Jatiya Sangsad. If there is only one valid candidate, that person will be declared elected unopposed.

Overall, the presidential election is now expected to be held in September. If the BNP chooses a party nominee, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir's name currently appears to be leading the discussions.

If the party instead opts for someone from outside party politics, a former chief justice or another widely acceptable figure could emerge as the candidate. For now, attention is focused on the upcoming meeting of the BNP Standing Committee, where the final decision is expected to be made.