After more than three and a half decades, the country’s highest constitutional office is set to be contested through a “ballot battle.”
According to the election schedule announced by the Election Commission, voting for the presidency will take place on August 20 in the session chamber of the National Parliament Building. If more than one valid candidate remains in the race, members of parliament will cast their votes through a secret ballot.
This marks a major departure from the practice of presidents being elected unopposed, which has prevailed since 1991. The last contested presidential election was held that year. Since then, in every election, the candidate backed by the ruling party has been elected unopposed. Most recently, Mohammed Shahabuddin was elected president unopposed in 2023.
This time, however, the situation is different. Following Shahabuddin’s resignation, the office of the president fell vacant, and Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed is currently serving as acting president. Under the Constitution, a new president must be elected within 90 days of the office becoming vacant.
Both the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the 11-party alliance led by Jamaat-e-Islami, the main opposition force in parliament, have decided to field candidates for the presidency.
Although the election will be contested, the ruling party has a clear advantage in terms of numbers. In the 2026 parliamentary election, the BNP won 210 seats, while the 11-party alliance led by Jamaat-e-Islami secured 77 seats. The BNP therefore holds a majority in parliament.
Senior Supreme Court Appellate Division lawyer Advocate Manzil Morshed told Dhaka Tribune: “The opposition knows that it will lose the election. Even then, fielding a candidate is a political strategy. The Awami League also fielded a presidential candidate in 1991 and lost. This time too, the opposition alliance’s candidate will lose.”
Badiul Alam Majumdar, founder of Shujan and an election expert, said: “The presidential election is predetermined. Whoever the ruling party wants will become president. However, it is good that an election is going to take place. Instead of being uncontested, it now feels like there will be competition.”
Under Article 48 of the Constitution, the president is elected by members of parliament. If more than one valid candidate remains after scrutiny and withdrawal of candidacies, MPs will vote by secret ballot, and the candidate receiving the highest number of valid votes will be elected. If only one valid candidate remains, that candidate will be declared elected without a vote.
Asked whether any BNP MP could vote for the Jamaat-led alliance’s candidate, Manzil Morshed said: “No BNP MP can vote for Jamaat’s candidate. If any MP votes against the party’s decision, their membership of parliament will immediately be cancelled. This is provided for under Article 70 of the Constitution.”
According to Election Commission sources, the ruling BNP has already collected two nomination papers for the presidency. Although the party’s policymakers have not yet officially announced the name of their final candidate, the decision will be finalized before the deadline for submitting nomination papers on August 13.
Meanwhile, the 11-party alliance led by Jamaat-e-Islami, the main opposition force in parliament, has surprised many by nominating Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Chairman Colonel (retd) Oli Ahmed as its joint candidate for president.
Jamaat-e-Islami Amir and Leader of the Opposition in parliament Shafiqur Rahman told journalists: “As a beauty of democracy and as part of our responsibility, we are participating in the presidential election. We have unanimously nominated a presidential candidate from among us.”
LDP President Oli Ahmed said: “We will never betray the nation from our position. Whether we win or lose is not the issue. We will stand for what is best for the people and protect the interests of the public. I thank the entire nation.”
Asked why the Jamaat-led alliance might field a candidate despite knowing it is likely to lose, Manzil Morshed said: “There is a discussion in the political arena that Jamaat and BNP are closely connected. They may have fielded a candidate merely as a showpiece so that no one can accuse them of not participating or raise questions about the matter.”
The last contested presidential election in Bangladesh’s parliamentary history was held on October 8, 1991. BNP candidate Abdur Rahman Biswas won with 172 votes, while Awami League candidate Justice Badrul Haider Chowdhury received 92 votes.
That election, however, was conducted through a secret ballot, allowing MPs to vote without the psychological pressure associated with Article 70.
Meanwhile, the July National Charter has outlined proposed changes to the presidential election system. Based on a unanimous decision by 29 political parties and alliances, the charter proposes that the president of Bangladesh be elected by members of both chambers of a bicameral legislature — the upper and lower houses — instead of by a single legislative body.
The parties also agreed to introduce a provision for electing the president through a secret ballot of members of the legislature, based on a majority, instead of the existing system of open voting.
Manzil Morshed said: “The July Charter has proposed changes to the presidential election system. The BNP’s 31-point reform plan also addresses this issue. Before the election, the BNP said that changes would be made to Article 70. Except on matters concerning a change of government and money bills, MPs would be allowed to vote independently on other issues.”
He added: “The BNP has already formed a committee for constitutional reform. They will consider which areas need to be changed. However, many things are said when commitments are made; how much of them are actually implemented remains to be seen.”
Badiul Alam Majumdar said: “The referendum includes provisions for many reforms. However, these issues are being bypassed. If the reform proposals are implemented, many things will change. But everything has now become uncertain.”
