BNP on Thursday filed the nomination paper for its presidential candidate Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in the election slated for August 20.

A BNP delegation submitted the nomination paper to Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, who is serving as the returning officer in the presidential election, at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city's Agargaon area at 2:24pm.

In the nomination paper, PM's Adviser and BNP Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan and Whip Miah Nuruddin Ahmed Apu proposed Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as a presidential candidate while Gayeshwar Chandra Roy seconded his candidacy.

The delegation members include BNP standing committee members Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni, BNP joint secretary general and Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee, joint secretary general Habib Un-Nabi Khan Sohel and Abdus Salam Azad.

Earlier, BNP announced the party's Secretary General and LGRD Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as its presidential candidate.

The announcement came after a high-level party’s meeting with its chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, hours before his nomination paper was submitted.

Meanwhile, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir resigned from the BNP Secretary General post and the party's standing comittee.

On Thursday, the 11-party opposition alliance, led by Jamaat-e-Islami, also submitted the nomination paper of its presidential candidate Col (Retd) Oli Ahmed.

A delegation of the opposition alliance, led by Jamaat Assistant Secretary General AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad, submitted the nomination paper to Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin at 11:49am on Thursday at the Nirbachan Bhaban.

The 11-party alliance earlier announced LDP Chairman Col (Retd) Oli Ahmed as its presidential candidate.

The Election Commission on August 06 last announced the schedule for the presidential election, fixing August 20 for voting.

Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, who is serving as the returning officer of the presidential election, has already convened a meeting of the Members of Parliament (MPs) at the session chamber of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on August 20 for voting in the presidential election in line with the Presidential Election Act, 1991.

According to the election schedule announced by the Election Commission on August 06 last, the nomination papers will be scrutinized on August 16 and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is August 18. 

Voting will take place from 2:00pm to 5:00pm on August 20 in the session chamber of the Jatiya Sangsad. A total of 349 MPs are voters in the presidential election. Now a parliamentary seat, Chattogram-4 constituency, remains vacant.

This will be the first presidential election in 35 years, which is going to involve more than one candidate. So, the voting is set to be held in the Presidential election after 1991.

On July 24 last, Mohammed Shahabuddin resigned as President and Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad took charge as the acting president.

According to Article 123(2) of the Constitution, an election to fill the vacant office of the President must be held within 90 days of the post becoming vacant due to resignation.