The Election Commission (EC) is going to hold the presidential election on February 18 for electing the country's 21st President.
The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda on Thursday announced this while briefing journalists at the Nirbachon (election) Bhaban in the city.
As per the schedule, nomination paper submission on February 5, scrutiny of nomination papers on February 7 and last date for withdrawal of nomination is February 10.
Lawmakers vote in the presidential election held in parliament, where the CEC will acts as the election officer.
The tenure of the incumbent President Md Abdul Hamid expires on April 23. Since the Constitution stipulates that the President must be elected by the members of Parliament, a voting would take place during the ongoing 19th session.
According to the Parliament Secretariat, the running session will continue until February 28.
The Article 123 of the Constitution says, 'In the case of a vacancy in the office of President occurring by reason of the expiration of his term of office an election to fill the vacancy shall be held within the period of ninety to sixty days prior to the date of the expiration of the term.'
Emerging from a meeting with the Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury at her Parliament office on
Wednesday, the CEC had hinted that the 21st President election would take place between February 18 and 20.
On February 24 in 2013, Abdul Hamid, former Speaker of the House and ruling Awami League leader, took over as the country's 20th President after he was elected uncontested.
While talking to journalist earlier this month, Law Minister Anisul Huq said, "The members of the Parliament will cast their votes to elect the new President of Bangladesh in February. But, no election will be held if there is only one candidate." "If two candidates get the same number of votes, the President will be elected through a lottery," he added.
According to Article 123 of the Constitution, the presidential elections should be held between 90 and 60 days before the five-year term of the president expires. The tenure of incumbent President Abdul Hamid nears end.
The last indirect presidential election was held in Bangladesh on April 22 in 2013, following the death of President Zillur Rahman on March 20 in 2013.
President Abdul Hamid has won the elections unopposed through a parliamentary vote and the tenure of Abdul Hamid will expire on April 23 this year. Since independence, 16 people have headed the state for 19 terms. Abdul Hamid is the 17th person to serve as President of the Republic.
MPs voted to elect a president only once in 1991, when parliamentary democracy was reinstated. Since then, it has been elected unopposed. In case of multiple candidates, the Election Commission will conduct the voting in parliament.
After the votes close, the election commissioner will publicly count the votes and declare the name of the candidate with the highest votes as elected. In case of a tie, the results will be determined by a lottery, according to the law.
