by Mohammad Al-Masum Molla in The Daily Star, Jan 22, 2018
Dhaka: The Jatiya Sangsad will elect the next president within a month as the tenure of incumbent President Abdul Hamid nears an end.
Hamid took office on April 24, 2013, and his five-year term expires on April 23.
According to article 123 of the constitution, presidential election will be held between 90 and 60 days before the five-year term of the president expires.
This means the election should be held by February 22.
The ruling Awami League is yet to decide whether Hamid will be elected for a second term or a new face will come.
The presidential election is important in political landscape as the next parliamentary election will be held at the end of this year. The next president will be elected for a five-year term, and the tenure of the president will be until the last year of the next government.
Contacted, Law Minister Anisul Huq said, “Presidential election should be held within 60-90 days. So, election can be held anytime within this time. We can hold the election in the current session [of the parliament] or another brief session can be called to hold the election.”
The current session began on January 7 and will continue until February 28.
But officials seeking anonymity told The Daily Star that the Election Commission was yet to take any preparation for the polls although the present president’s tenure would end on April 24.
Helaluddin Ahmed, acting secretary of the EC, said the commission informally discussed the issue and steps would be taken on time. “It is the constitutional duty of the commission to hold the presidential election and the commission will do that on time.”
Asked whether there was any preparation for holding the election in the current session, Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury said it was the Election Commission’s jurisdiction. “Parliament will take step when it receives a request from the Election Commission.”
Hamid was elected uncontested as the 20th President of the country. Before that, the seven-time Jatiya Sangsad lawmaker had been speaker twice.
He also became the acting president on March 14, 2013, in accordance with the constitution when president Zillur Rahman was admitted to Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore on March 10. Zillur died there on Mar 20. www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/js-elect-the-next-president-month-1523362
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