Dhaka: The ruling Awami League on Sunday nominated the former civil servant (judicial branch) and freedom fighter Mohammed Shahabuddin Chuppu as the Presidential candidate.

Md. Shahabuddin filed his nomination at the Election Commission where he was accompanied by an Awami League delegation led by party General Secretary and Minister Obaidul Quader.

Later, Obaidul Quader briefed the media about the nomination of Md. Shahabuddin as the Presidential candidate of the Awami League.

The nomination for the post ends at 4pm on Sunday.

The election is scheduled to take place on February 19, if any other candidate files nomination.

Mohammed Shahabuddin is likely to be the next President of Bangladesh as no other party has the numbers in the parliament.

In the 350 member Bangladesh National Parliament, Jatiyo Sangsad, Awami League has 302 members while the Jatiya Party has 26 members. Other smaller parties like the Workers party has 4 MPs, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh and Gonoforum have 2 each.

The tenure of the current President Mohammad Abdul Hamid is set to end on April 23. He has served two tenures and the constitution of Bangladesh does not permit any person to be the President beyond two terms.

Mohammed Shahabuddin served as the Commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and also as District and Sessions Judge. Born in Pabna in 1949, Md. Shahabuddin took part in the 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh. He is a member of the Awami League Advisory Council.

(With UNI inputs)