Zillur, who
resigned as lawmaker in the afternoon, is scheduled to take oath of
presidential office in the Durbar Hall at Bangabhaban at 7:00pm on Thursday.
'Zillur Rahman has been elected president of the
People's Republic of Bangladesh as per Section 7 of the Presidential Election
Act 1991 as his nomination paper was legally accepted and no other nomination
was submitted,' the chief election commissioner, ATM Shamsul Huda, announced
after expiry of time for the withdrawal of candidature on Wednesday.
Polling for
presidency was scheduled for February 16, but there is no need for voting by
lawmakers as there was no contestant against Zillur.
The outgoing president, Iajuddin Ahmed, was on
Wednesday given a joint guard of honour by the three services at Senakunja in
the Dhaka cantonment. He laid flowers at Shikha Chirantan (Eternal flames). He
later left Bangabhaban, attending a farewell party hosted by the members on
president's staff.
After being
elected president, Zillur has said he wanted to work for the welfare of the
countrymen. He identified two major challenges — food crisis and unemployment —
facing the nation.