Bangladesh Set to Hold Presidential Election After 35 Years as Both Candidates Stay in Race

Bangladesh is set to hold a presidential election on August 20, marking the country's first presidential vote in nearly 35 years, after neither of the two candidates withdrew their nomination before the deadline.

The deadline for withdrawal of candidacies expired at 4:00 p.m. Bangladesh time on Tuesday. Speaking to reporters at the Election Commission (EC) headquarters afterward, EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed confirmed that both candidates remain in the race and outlined the voting process.

The election will be contested between Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the candidate nominated by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and Col. (Retd.) Oli Ahmad, the candidate backed by the 11-party alliance led by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami.

According to the EC, voting will take place from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on August 20 in the Parliament chamber. Before polling begins, Chief Election Commissioner A.M.M. Nasir Uddin, who will serve as the Returning Officer, will brief Members of Parliament (MPs) on the voting procedure.

Akhtar Ahmed said ballot papers will be printed on Tuesday. Each ballot will consist of two sections: a counterfoil containing the serial number, the MP's name, division number, and other required information, and the main ballot paper.

Members of Parliament will receive a ballot after signing the designated space on the counterfoil with their full name. On the main ballot, the names of the two candidates will be printed in Bangla alphabetical order, with a space beside each name where MPs will cast their vote by signing their full name.

After marking their ballots, MPs will place them in the designated ballot box. Ballots will be accepted until 5:00 p.m., after which counting will begin immediately inside the Parliament chamber. The ballot papers will feature black printing on a white background.

A total of 349 Members of Parliament are eligible to vote in the presidential election. The votes will be counted at the polling venue, and the Returning Officer will announce the results before the Election Commission issues the official gazette notification.