Bangladesh: 11-Party Alliance partners to hold internal talks on presidential election candidate

Leading components of Bangladesh's 11-Party Alliance are set to convene internal discussions before determining their strategy for the upcoming presidential election. The alliance partners, including Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, and the National Citizen Party (NCP), have not yet finalized their positions regarding the August 20 election.

“

Nothing can be said at this moment. We have a meeting tomorrow (Saturday), where the issue will be discussed.

The Election Commission announced the election schedule earlier, setting August 13 as the deadline for nomination paper submissions. The outcome of the internal alliance meetings is expected to clarify whether the opposition will field its own candidate, back an existing contender, or adopt a different approach, potentially including a boycott. The final decision on whether an actual vote will be necessary hinges on the number of valid candidates nominated by the deadline.

Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair, Jamaat's Assistant Secretary General, stated that it is premature to announce the party's definitive stance. He indicated that a meeting scheduled for Saturday would address the presidential election, where the party's position might be solidified. Similarly, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis and the NCP are also planning internal meetings to discuss the matter and reach a joint decision.

“

We have a party meeting tomorrow, and Jamaat also has a meeting. A joint decision will be made after discussions.

Sources within the alliance suggest that clarity on Jamaat's and other parties' positions will emerge following Saturday's meetings. The scrutiny of nomination papers is scheduled for August 16. If only one candidate remains valid after this process, that individual will be declared the winner on the same day, potentially avoiding a vote. The constitution limits voting rights to members of parliament, and given the current parliamentary majority, the nominee of the ruling party is widely anticipated to win, although no official candidate has been announced.

“

We will discuss the matter internally and then make a decision. Only after that will we be able to say anything.