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Shahabuddin Chuppu to become 22nd president of Bangladesh
Awami League chief and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina greeted Md Shahabuddin Chuppu with a flower bouquet after the submission of his nomination as the party's presidential candidate
Focus Bangla
Tribune Report
February 12, 2023 12:18 AM
Awami League leader Md Shahabuddin Chuppu is poised to become the 22nd president of Bangladesh with the ruling party choosing him as its candidate for the upcoming presidential election.
The Awami League Parliamentary Party had nominated Shahabuddin Chuppu, a former commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission, retired district and sessions judge, and freedom fighter, to run for president, General Secretary Obaidul Quader told the media on Sunday.
As the Awami League holds an absolute majority in parliament, Shahabuddin Chuppu's election as the 22nd president of the country is all but confirmed. Awami League lawmakers hold 302 out of 350 seats in the House.
Awami League chief and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina greeted Shahabuddin with a flower bouquet after the submission of his nomination.
Later in the morning, Awami League leaders, including Obaidul Quader, presidium members Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Abdur Rahman, and Chief Whip of Parliament Noor-E-Alam Chowdhury, along with Shahabuddin – a lawyer by profession and a member of the party's advisory council – visited the Election Commission to submit his nomination.
Awami League President Sheikh Hasina finalized the nomination after the Awami League Parliamentary Party in a meeting on February 7 gave her the authority to do so, Quader, who is also road transport and bridges minister, said.
Born in Pabna in 1949, Shahabuddin Chuppu was convener of the district's Shadhin Bangla Chhatra Sangram Parishad in 1971 and valiantly fought in the Liberation War.
He joined the Bangladesh Civil Service as a judicial cadre in 1982 and was elected general secretary of the Judicial Service Association in 1995.
Quader said: "He (Shahabuddin) also served as the coordinator appointed by the law ministry in the case filed over the assassination of Bangabandhu. He served as the chairman of the judicial inquiry commission set up after the 2001 general election to investigate the murders, rapes and looting and inhumane acts committed by the leaders of the BNP-Jamaat alliance.
"Shahabuddin Chuppu served as president of Chhatra League's Pabna unit during his student life and served as president of Pabna Jubo League in 1974.
"Shahabuddin Chuppu was imprisoned following the brutal assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Majibur Rahman in 1975. He was also an election commissioner in the last National Council of the Awami League."
"Shahabuddin Chuppu is married to Prof Rebecca Sultana, a former government official, and they have a son," Quader told journalists.
Shahabuddin Chuppu serves as vice chairman of the Board of Directors of Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd. He represents JMC Builders Ltd on the board.
He also works as an advisor for NRB Global Bank Ltd.
He completed his MSc degree from Rajshahi University in 1974. Then he obtained his LLB degree from the same institution in 1975.
Shahabuddin started his career in Judicial Service in 1983 and was a district judge till 2006. He also discharged his duties as chairman of the Labour Court in 2006, lawyer of the Supreme Court from 2008-2011 and commissioner of the ACC from 2011-2016. He successfully performed various important assignments during his service period including member of a judicial inquiry committee, chairman of the Judicial Inquiry Commission and a lot more.
He was inducted into the Awami League Advisory Council in January 2020.
Two years later, in January 2022, he was made chairman of the party's publicity and publication subcommittee, a post that had fallen vacant after the death of PM's political advisor HT Imam.
He also worked as a journalist for Daily BanglarBani from 1980-1982.
He is engaged in various social, educational and cultural organizations in the country.
The tenure of Md Abdul Hamid, the longest-serving president of the country, will expire on April 23, and according to the constitution, there is no scope for a third term.
Senior Awami League leader and seven-time lawmaker Md Abdul Hamid was elected president in the last two elections. He was sworn in for his second term on April 24, 2018.
Although the president is the head of state in Bangladesh, he/she does not have any executive powers. It is rather a ceremonial post.
Election process
According to the Election Commission, candidates must submit their nomination by Sunday, which will be scrutinized on Monday. The deadline for withdrawal of candidature is Tuesday.The chief election commissioner, the electoral officer of the election, will conduct the presidential election.
Under the rules, the Election Commission has to hold the presidential election between January 24 and February 22.
Article 123 of the constitution says the presidential election must be held 90 to 60 days before the expiry of the incumbent's five-year term.
To be a candidate for the office of president, one does not have to be a member of parliament. But a nominator and one who secures the nomination are required to be members of parliament. A majority of MPs elect the president.
According to Article 48(4) of the constitution, no person shall be eligible to be elected president if he or she is less than thirty-five years of age, not qualified for election as a member of parliament, or has ever been removed from the office of president by impeachment under the constitution.
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