Mohammad Shahabuddin Chuppu, a former judge and freedom fighter, was elected unopposed as Bangladesh's 22nd President. According to the country's Chief Election Commission, 74-year-old Chuppu will replace President Mohammad Abdul Hamid.

The Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal declared Chuppu, Awami League Advisory Council member and the party's nominee, the President-elect of Bangladesh unopposed after scrutinising his nomination papers submitted on Sunday.

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.

A gazette was issued on Monday on the appointment of the new Bangladesh President by the Chief Election Commissioner, PTI quoted a report by news agency UNB.

The tenure of incumbent Hamid, the longest-serving president of Bangladesh, will end on April 23, and according to the Constitution, he cannot hold a third term. Senior Awami League leader and seven-time lawmaker Hamid was elected Bangladesh president in the last two elections.

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.

He also took part in the 1971 Liberation War and was imprisoned for waging a protest after the August 15, 1975 assassination of Bangladesh’s founder Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman -the father of Prime Minister Hasina- in a military coup along with most of his family members.

He also served as commissioner of the country’s autonomous body Anti-Corruption Commission.

His wife Rebeka Sultana is the former joint secretary to the government.

Image source: ANI