A meeting of the BNP’s National Standing Committee, the party’s highest policymaking body, is underway at the BNP chairman’s political office in Gulshan. The meeting began around 7:00pm on Friday (September 18), with BNP Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in the chair. Standing Committee members are attending the meeting.

According to party sources, the meeting is expected to discuss preparations for Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s upcoming visit to the United States to attend the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, which begins on September 21.

The meeting is also expected to finalise the BNP’s candidate for the Thakurgaon-1 by-election. The constituency fell vacant after Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir assumed the presidency. The by-election is scheduled for October 29.

Three BNP leaders, including Mirza Fakhrul’s younger brother and Thakurgaon district BNP President Mirza Faisal Amin, have collected nomination forms for the seat. The other aspirants are Obaidullah Masud and Sultanul Ferdous Chowdhury. The party’s National Standing Committee is serving as the nomination board and is scheduled to select the final candidate on September 18.