Feb 18 may see election of 19th president..................

Bangladesh's 19th president may be elected on Feb. 18, Election Commission officials said on Monday.

"The final schedule is likely to be announced on Feb. 1 and the Commission has sent the primary schedule to the Speaker," EC senior assistant secretary Farhad Ahmed Khan told us.

The EC secretary, Humayun Kabir, has already written to parliament affairs secretary Ashfaq Hamid, said Khan.

According to the primary schedule, Feb 8 is the last date for filing nomination, Feb 9 the date of scrutiny and Feb 11 the last date of withdrawal of nominations, he said.

The primary schedule gets confirmed on the Speaker's approval.

EC officials said since the voting for the election takes place in a Jatiya Sangsad room, the polling date has to be changed if it coincides with a parliament session.

Chief election commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda had said early January the presidential polls would be held in February.

EC deputy secretary Mihir Sarwar Morshed said the 'Presidential Election Act' requires the Election Commission to announce the presidential election schedule during the first session of the parliament.

According to the Constitution, the new president has to be elected within 30 days of a new parliament convening.

"Usually seven days is given for nomination-related formalities followed by a day for scrutiny and another day for withdrawal," he said.

"In case of more than one candidate, the CEC oversees the polls inside the parliament as the returning officer."

The ballot papers used do not carry symbols but the names of candidates, and the MPs sign their names against their choices on the ballot paper in public, he said.

"But in case of a lone candidate he or she is declared elected uncontested," said the EC official.

There have been 18 presidents since Bangladesh's independence in 1971.

Abdur Rahman Biswas, justice Shahabuddin Ahmed, Dr AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury and Prof Iajuddin Ahmed have been elected president under the parliamentary system, re-introduced in 1991.

The ruling Awami League has announced the party's senior presidium member Zillur Rahman as presidential candidate.


List of past Presidents*

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from April 17 1971 to January 11 1972.

Syed Nazrul Islam (Acting) from 17 April 1971 to Jan 9 1972.

Abu Sayeed Chowdhury from 12 January 1972 to 23 December, 1973.

Md Mohammadullah from 24 December 1973 to 25 January 1975.

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from 25 January 1975 to 14 August 1975.

Khondaker Mushtaque Ahmad from 15 August 1975 to 6 November 1975

ASM Sayem from 7 November 1975 to 20 April 1976.

Ziaur Rahman from 21 April 1976 to 29 May 1981.

Abdus Sattar (Acting) from 30 May 1981 to 19 Nov 1981.

Abdus Sattar from 20 November 1981 to 23 March 1982.

AFM Ahsan Uddin Chowdhury from 27 March 1982 to 10 December 1983.

Hussein Muhammad Ershad from 11 December 1983 to 6 December 1990.

Shahabuddin Ahmed (temporary) from 6 December 1990 to 9 October 1991.

Abdur Rahman Biswas 9 October 1991 to 9 October 1996.

Shahabuddin Ahmed from 9 October to 14 November 1996.

A.Q.M. Badruddoza Chowdhury from 14 November 2001 to 21 June 2002.

Jamiruddin Sircar (acting) from 21 June 2002 to 5 September 2002.

Dr. Iajuddin Ahmed from 6 September 2002