JS session to elect President from Sunday

The ninth parliament will reconvene on Sunday for its 17th session, during which the new President of Bangladesh will be elected.

  

The second session of the year is scheduled to start at 5pm, with Speaker Abdul Hamid in the Chair.

Immediately prior to the start of the session, the Business Advisory Committee of the House will hold a meeting at 4:30pm, with Deputy Speaker Shawkat Ali presiding over it.

Chief Whip Abdus Shahid told bdnews24.com, “The Business Advisory Committee will also determine which bills will be passed in this session.”

The leader of the House, Sheikh Hasina, is expected to attend the meeting.

Meanwhile, on the BNP-led opposition alliance joining the session, BNP MP Nazrul Islam Monjur told bdnews24.com, “No decision has been taken yet. The party forum also did not discuss anything related to this matter.”

The main opposition BNP has been absent for the last 307 business days in the last 16 sessions of the ninth parliament, highest in the parliamentary history of Bangladesh.

The Speaker had called for the session on Apr 3.

Abdul Hamid has been discharging the duties of the President since the death of President Md Zillur Rahman on Mar 20 in Singapore while undergoing treatment.

The Election Commission on Apr 9 announced that the presidential elections would take place in the House on Apr 29. The aspirants will be able to submit nomination papers on Apr 21 and withdraw them until Apr 24.

As per the law, the President is elected through an open voting system by the Members of Parliament. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad will act as the Election Officer.

Since the introduction of parliamentary democracy in Bangladesh, the Members of Parliament have only once voted and elected the President in 1991, as there were several candidates running for the post.

But later, the trend changed and the ruling party candidates would be elected uncontested to the office of the President.

The Awami League Parliamentary Party will meet at 11am on Sunday to discuss the presidential elections and other related issues. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also the President of the ruling party, will preside over the meeting.