The BNP Standing Committee has entrusted party Chairperson and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman with the authority to nominate the party’s candidate for the upcoming presidential election.

The decision was announced by BNP Secretary General and Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir after a meeting of the party’s highest policymaking body at its Gulshan political office on Saturday night.

The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman.

According to party sources, the Standing Committee discussed the nomination of the party’s presidential candidate before unanimously authorising the party chief to make the final decision.

The meeting also reviewed the country’s current political situation, the government’s development activities, law and order, organisational matters within the party, and its future political strategy.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Standing Committee member and Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said the government plans to hold local government elections by the end of this year.

He added that the meeting also discussed improvements in the law and order situation, the prevailing political environment, and other contemporary national issues.

Besides Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Salahuddin Ahmed, other members of the BNP Standing Committee were also present at the meeting.