Zillur looks to be new president..............

Awami League lawmaker and deputy leader of the parliament Zillur Rahman looks to be uncontested in the presidential election.

"As Zillur Rahman is the only candidate, after scrutiny and the last day for withdrawal, the Election Commission will formally announce his presidency on Feb 11," said chief election commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda Sunday evening.

Chief whip Abdus Shahid had earlier filed Zillur's nomination papers to the chief returning officer (the CEC) around noon.

"We hope Zillur Rahman will unanimously be elected president in the Feb. 16 election," Shahid told reporters after the submission at the EC Secretariat.

"If nobody else submits nomination papers by Sunday, the deadline for filing, Zillur Rahman will be elected president," said Shahid who picked up the nomination papers on Jan 31.

Earlier, deputy secretary at the EC Mihir Sarwar Morshed told us that nobody had picked up nomination papers, except Zillur, until Saturday.

If nobody collects and submits nomination papers within the time, the election of Zillur to the largely ceremonial post will be confirmed by Sunday afternoon, he said.

Senior assistant secretary at the EC Farhad Ahmed Khan told us . Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury proposed Zillur's name as the presidential candidate and Shahid supported him in the nomination.

The EC announced the schedule for the presidential poll on Jan. 29, setting Feb. 9 for scrutiny, Feb 10 for withdrawal and Feb. 16 for the vote in parliament.

There have been 18 presidents since independence in 1971.

The new president of the ninth parliament will be Bangladesh's 19th president.