The post of BNP chairman has fallen vacant following the death of former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia. However, according to the BNP constitution, acting chairman Tarique Rahman has automatically assumed the chairmanship.
Party sources said that BNP is currently conducting a seven-day mourning program following the death of Khaleda Zia. The party will make a formal announcement about assuming the post of chairman after the standing committee meeting is held after the program. Tarique Rahman has not been using the chairman title before.
According to Sub-section 2 of Section 7(c) of the BNP constitution, in the temporary absence of the chairman, the party’s senior vice chairman performs all the duties of the chairman as the acting chairman. According to this provision, after Khaleda Zia went to prison on February 8, 2018, Tarique Rahman took over the responsibility of the acting chairman and has been performing the duties since then.
It is worth noting that Khaleda Zia took over the leadership of the party after the death of BNP founder, martyred President Ziaur Rahman, and was elected as the chairperson within a short time.