Staff Reporter :The BNP has announced the schedule for elections to the party chairperson and Senior Vice Chairman posts. The elections to the posts will be held at the party’s sixth national council on March 19. BNP standing committee member and its election commissioner Barrister Jamiruddin Sircar announced the election schedule at a press briefing at the party’s Nayapaltan central office in the city on Monday. Another standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan, who will perform the duty of returning officer in the polls, also attended the press briefing. Jamiruddin Sircar said that the elections would be held on the party’s national council day on March 19.According to the schedule, the aspirants can collect nomination form on March 2 from the Nayapaltan office. Last date of filing nomination is March 4. The nominations will be scrutinised on March 5. The time for withdrawal of nomination is 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on March 6. The candidates for two posts must be at least 30 years old and must be members of the party. The aspirants will be able to collect and submit the nomination papers directly by themselves or by their agents.In BNP’s fifth council in December in 2009, Khaleda Zia was elected Chairperson of the party unopposed while her eldest son Tarique Rahman was made Senior Vice Chairman. Khaleda Zia has been in the post of Chairperson since 1984.Meanwhile, although the BNP announced the polls schedule for the two posts, no candidates except Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman can be found to submit nominations for the two posts.Party insiders said that prior to the sixth national council, Khaleda Zia is going to be elected as the party Chairperson once again before the council while Tarique will hold the second coveted post of the party. Analysts opined the same and said that it would be nothing but eyewash in the name of elections and announcement of the polls schedule. The same eyewash for the chairperson post was staged in the fifth council also. Ahead of the sixth council, BNP brought amendment to its constitution and put Tarique’s chair to vote. However, BNP is yet to receive permission for holding its council session. The council may be held at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital.
