Bangladesh Parliament Holds Historic Presidential Vote
Bangladesh’s national parliament began a historic presidential election today. Members of Parliament started voting at 2:00 pm. This marks the first time a president has been elected through a vote in 35 years.
A total of 349 Members of Parliament are eligible to cast their votes. They will choose between two candidates for the top office. The voting process in the Jatiya Sangsad chamber will continue until 5:00 pm this afternoon.
The ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) put forward Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as its candidate. The 11-party alliance, led by Jamaat-e-Islami, nominated Oli Ahmad.
Mr. Alamgir’s victory is widely expected. The BNP holds a strong majority in parliament with 247 MPs. This numerical advantage makes his election almost certain. However, having two candidates means a formal vote must still take place.
Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin is overseeing the election. He is serving as the election officer for this special event. Before voting began, Mr. Nasir Uddin gave a speech to the MPs.
He announced the names of the two presidential candidates. He also named their proposers and seconders. The Chief Election Commissioner explained the voting rules clearly. He showed MPs how to sign their full names on the ballot papers. He also instructed them on placing the ballot papers into the ballot box.
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was present in parliament for the voting. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and other ministers also attended. Vote counting is scheduled to begin after 5:00 pm today. The results are expected shortly after.
