BNP Authorises Party Chief to Nominate Bangladesh's Next Presidential Candidate

Bangladesh's ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has authorised its party chief to finalise a nominee for the country's presidential election, according to a statement issued after a standing committee meeting in Dhaka.

Constitutional timeline

Under Article 123(2) of the constitution, an election to fill a vacant presidential office must be held within 90 days of the vacancy arising. Party officials said the decision to empower Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to finalise the nominee was intended to expedite the process.

• BNP standing committee formally authorised the party chief to select a presidential nominee
• Constitution requires the vote within 90 days of the vacancy
• Rival parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami, have criticised the ruling party's handling of the process

Opposition reaction

The move drew swift criticism from opposition figures. Jamaat-e-Islami chief Dr Shafiqur Rahman, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, accused the BNP of echoing what he called the authoritarian tendencies of the former Awami League government, urging the party to respect the political consensus reached after last year's transition.

Political analysts said the presidential nomination process is being closely watched as a test of the ruling coalition's commitment to the power-sharing arrangements outlined in the July Charter agreed among major parties following the 2025 political transition.

The Election Commission has not yet announced a formal schedule for the presidential vote, but officials said preparations are underway to meet the constitutional deadline.