No one to challenge Khaleda, Tarique

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and her son, party's Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman, are going to be elected uncontested to their respective posts as nobody collected nomination forms to contest the posts yesterday, the scheduled day for collecting nomination forms of those posts.

On behalf of Khaleda and Tarique, BNP joint secretary generals Rizvi Ahmed and Mohammad Shahjahan received the nomination forms from the party's Nayapaltan headquarters.        

Earlier, Rizvi submitted an authorisation letter with Khaleda's signature to returning officer Nazrul Islam Khan, a standing committee member of the party. In the letter, it was mentioned that Rizvi had been given the authority to collect the nomination form for the party chief.

Talking to reporters, Nazrul said after getting the authority, Rizvi collected the nomination form for the post of the party chief.

Later, in the same way, Shahjahan received the nomination form for Tarique, who has been living in London for the last eight years.

Party insiders said though the party decided to hold polls in the two top posts together under an election commission, it was expected earlier that except Khaleda and Tarique, no one would collect the nomination forms to run for the posts and that is what happened.    

The BNP has recently amended its constitution, including a provision for holding election to chairperson and senior vice-chairman posts. The party has also formed an election commission, headed by Jamir Uddin Sircar.

According to the schedule, aspirants for chairperson and senior vice-chairman posts have to submit their nomination papers on March 4 and those will be scrutinised on March 5. The deadline for withdrawal of nominations is 10:00am to 4:00pm on March 6.

Election to the posts is scheduled to be held during the BNP's sixth council on March 19. Besides, the party's national executive committee members will be elected on that day.

In the BNP's fifth council in 2009, Khaleda was elected chairperson unopposed of the party, while Tarique was made senior vice-chairman.

Khaleda has been serving as BNP chairperson since 1984.