Awami League leader Mohammed Shahabuddin became the president-elect of Bangladesh on Sunday.
The nomination process for the presidential election ended at 4pm and as no one else submitted their nomination he became president-elect by default.
The Awami League Parliamentary Party had nominated Shahabuddin, a former commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission, retired district and sessions judge, and freedom fighter, to run for president, General Secretary Obaidul Quader told the media on Sunday.
Awami League chief and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina greeted Shahabuddin with a flower bouquet after the submission of his nomination.
Later in the morning, Awami League leaders, including Obaidul Quader, presidium members Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Abdur Rahman, and Chief Whip of Parliament Noor-E-Alam Chowdhury, along with Shahabuddin – a lawyer by profession and a member of the party's advisory council – visited the Election Commission to submit his nomination.
Awami League President Sheikh Hasina finalized the nomination after the Awami League Parliamentary Party in a meeting on February 7 gave her the authority to do so, Quader, who is also the road transport and bridges minister, said.
Shahabuddin was born in 1949 and had a distinguished political career from a young age, starting in his student years.
Shahabuddin completed his MSc degree from Rajshahi University in 1974. Then he obtained an LLB degree in 1975 from the same institution.
Hailing from Pabna, a northern district of Bangladesh, Shahabuddin has served various political and state roles.
He served as the president of the Pabna District unit Chattra League and Jubo League in the 1970s.
During the Liberation War in 1971, Shahabuddin was a key player in the northern region, serving as a student leader and the convener of the Swadhin Bangla Chattra Sangram Parishad.
Along with former Awami League presidium member Mohammad Nasim, he played a crucial role in the Pabna district during the war.
Shahabuddin started his career in Judicial Service in 1983 and was a district judge till 2006. He also discharged his duties as chairman of the Labour Court in 2006, lawyer of the Supreme Court from 2008-2011 and commissioner of the ACC from 2011-2016.
He successfully performed various important assignments during his service period including member of a judicial inquiry committee, chairman of the Judicial Inquiry Commission and a lot more.
He was inducted into the Awami League Advisory Council in January 2020.
Two years later, in January 2022, he was made chairman of the party's publicity and publication subcommittee, a post that had fallen vacant after the death of PM's political advisor HT Imam.
He also worked as a journalist for Daily BanglarBani from 1980-1982.
He is engaged in various social, educational and cultural organizations in the country.
The tenure of Md Abdul Hamid, the longest-serving president of the country, will expire on April 23, and according to the constitution, there is no scope for a third term.
Senior Awami League leader and seven-time lawmaker Md Abdul Hamid was elected president in the last two elections. He was sworn in for his second term on April 24, 2018.
Although the president is the head of state in Bangladesh, he/she does not have any executive powers. It is rather a ceremonial post.
Election process
According to the Election Commission, candidates must submit their nomination by Sunday, which will be scrutinized on Monday. The deadline for withdrawal of candidature is Tuesday.
The chief election commissioner, the electoral officer of the election, will conduct the presidential election.
Under the rules, the Election Commission has to hold the presidential election between January 24 and February 22.
Article 123 of the constitution says the presidential election must be held 90 to 60 days before the expiry of the incumbent's five-year term.
To be a candidate for the office of president, one does not have to be a member of parliament. But a nominator and one who secures the nomination are required to be members of parliament. A majority of MPs elect the president.
According to Article 48(4) of the constitution, no person shall be eligible to be elected president if he or she is less than thirty-five years of age, not qualified for election as a member of parliament, or has ever been removed from the office of president by impeachment under the constitution.
