AL collects nomination for Hamid’s second-term presidency

The ruling Awami League (AL) today collected the party’s nomination paper on behalf of President Abdul Hamid to run the presidency for his another term.

A team of the AL parliamentary members led by Jatiya Sangsad Chief Whip ASM Feroz went to the Election Commission (EC) office at Agargaon in Dhaka and collected the nomination paper this morning, Asaduzzaman Arju, joint secretary (media and publications) of the EC, told The Daily Star.

The other two members are: Jatiya Sangsad Whips Md Iqbalur Rahim and Whip Md Shahiduzzaman Sarker.

If any other political party that has representation in the parliament does not nominate any candidate, Hamid will be elected unopposed in the elections, Asaduzzaman said.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formally conveyed President Hamid of her party's nomination to him to run the presidency for another term.

Earlier on January 31, the AL Parliamentary Board made the decision at a meeting at the Gono Bhaban with party President Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

The tenure of Hamid, who took office on April 24, 2013, will expire on April 23 this year.

The election is scheduled to be held on February 18.

According to the Article 123 of the constitution, presidential election has to be held between 90 and 60 days before the expiry of the president's five-year term.

The presidential election is deemed crucial as the next parliamentary polls will be held at the end of this year. The next president will be elected for a five-year term which will continue till the last year of the next government.

Before taking oath as president, Hamid was elected lawmaker seven times and also served as Speaker twice.

He became acting president on March 14, 2013, after the then president Zillur Rahman was admitted to Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore on March 10. Zillur breathed his last at the hospital on March 20.