President Md Abdul Hamid elected for a second term

Md Abdul Hamid has been re-elected to serve as the 21st president of Bangladesh. The Election Commission’s declaration came on Wednesday as no other candidates contested the polls.

With the Awami League having an absolute majority in parliament, it was almost certain that Hamid will serve as the head of state for a second term.

 

Lawmakers vote in the presidential election, which is supposed to be held in the House with the chief election commissioner acting as the election officer.

 

MPs voted to elect a president only once in 1991, when parliamentary democracy was reinstated. Since then, it has been elected unopposed.

 

On Apr 24, 2013, Hamid was sworn in as the 20th president of Bangladesh. Since independence, 16 people have headed the state for 19 terms. Hamid is the 17th person to serve as president. 

 

He, however, is the only one who will be serving for a consecutive term and it will be his last as the constitution allows a maximum of two terms.

Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda said the gazette notification over Hamid’s re-election will be published on Wednesday.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, he hinted at the swearing-in ceremony to be held on Apr 23.

Huda and the four other election commissioners are set to meet the president at the Bangabhaban in the evening.

On Jan 25, the EC announced the schedule for the presidential polls setting Feb 5 for filing nominations, when the only one was submitted on behalf of Hamid from the ruling Awami League.

The EC had scheduled a voting for Feb 18, which, however, is not needed anymore.

Former presidents of Bangladesh

Name	From	To
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman	26-03-1971	12-01-1972
Syed Nazrul Islam (Acting President)	26-03-1971	10-01-1972
Abu Sayeed Chowdhury	12-01-1972	24-12-1973
Mohammadullah	24-12-1973	25-01-1975
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman	25-01-1975	15-08-1975
Khandker Mustaque Ahmad	15-08-1975	06-11-1975
Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem	06-11-1975	21-04-1977
Ziaur Rahman	21-04-1977	30-05-1981
Abdus Sattar (Acting President)	30-05-1981	20-11-1981
Abdus Sattar	20-11-1981	24-03-1982
Abul Fazal Mohammad Ahsanuddin Choudhury	27-03-1982	11-12-1983
Hussain Muhammad Ershad	11-12-1983	06-12-1990
Shahabuddin Ahmed (Acting President)	06-12-1990	09-10-1991
Abdur Rahman Biswas	09-10-1991	09-10-1996
Shahabuddin Ahmed	09-10-1996	14-11-2001
AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury	14-11-2001	21-06-2002
Md. Jamiruddin Sircar (President-in-charge)	21-06-2002	06-09-2002
Iajuddin Ahmed	06-09-2002	12-02-2009
Md. Zillur Rahman	12-02-2009	20-03-2013