Mohammad Shahabuddin Chuppu.

Mohammad Shahabuddin Chuppu, 74, has been declared as the next president-elect of Bangladesh by the country’s Election Commission after no other candidate was put forward.

Speaking to reporters in the capital, Dhaka, Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal said the ruling Awami League (AL) party’s nominee was elected unopposed as the 22nd president.

The nomination process for the presidential election ended on Sunday.

With 302 members, the AL party has the majority in the 350-seat national parliament, and no other party had the numbers to nominate a presidential candidate.

Born in 1949 and hailing from the northern Pabna district, retired district judge Shahabuddin also served as a member of the AL’s Advisory Council.

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A freedom fighter of the country’s independence war in 1971, he also served as commissioner of the country’s autonomous body Anti-Corruption Commission.

Shahabuddin will replace the incumbent, Abdul Hamid, whose tenure expires on 24 April.

According to the country’s constitution, the presidential election must be held 60 to 90 days before the expiry of each five-year term.

Hamid cannot become president again as he was elected for two terms, according to the country’s constitution.

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