BNP Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has been entrusted with selecting the party’s nominee for Bangladesh’s next president, said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said tonight.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the BNP standing committee, chaired by Tarique at his political office in Gulshan.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Fakhrul said the party’s highest policymaking body also discussed the country’s current political situation and organisational matters.

Speaking to journalists, BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said holding the presidential election was the constitutional responsibility of the Election Commission.

“The office of the president has fallen vacant, and the Speaker is temporarily serving as the acting president. Under the law, the presidential election must be held within 90 days. The Election Commission has already begun working towards that goal and is prepared to hold the election,” said the home minister.

Asked about the party’s nomination process, Salahuddin said Tarique had been given the responsibility to choose the candidate.

“Once the election schedule is announced, the responsibility for deciding who will be the party’s candidate will rest with BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman. The party chairman will make the final decision,” he added.

On whether a special parliamentary session would be called for the election, Salahuddin said the matter would be decided after the Election Commission announces the schedule.

Any decision to convene a special session would be made in consultation with the Speaker of the parliament, he said.