Hamid sworn in as president

Abdul Hamid takes oath as the 20th president of the country at Bangabhaban Darbar Hall in the capital on Wednesday. Photo: BSS

Abdul Hamid has taken oath as the 20th president of the country Wednesday.

Acting Speaker Shawkat Ali administered the oath to Hamid at Bangabhaban Darbar Hall in the evening.

No BNP lawmakers joined the swearing-in ceremony.

Talking to The Daily Star in the evening, BNP standing committee member MK Anwar said he received an invitation letter but did not join the programme.

At the end of the swearing-in ceremony, President Hamid told journalists that he has to rethink issues including the upcoming election.

Hamid will hold the top constitutional post for the next five years. The tenure of the present government will expire in January next year.

Earlier on Sunday, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad declared Hamid elected uncontested following scrutiny of his nomination papers filed on Sunday.

Nominated by the ruling Awami League, the 69-year-old politician was the lone candidate for the presidency which fell vacant with the death of Zillur Rahman on March 20.

Hamid has been discharging the presidential responsibilities since March 14 after Zillur Rahman fell ill.

Hamid hails from Kishoreganj, the very place from where Zillur Rahman had come.

Hamid was elected the junior most member of the National Assembly in 1970 from Mymensingh-18 constituency.

He joined the Liberation War in 1971 and was awarded the Swadhinata Padak this year for his contribution to the war.

Hamid was elected member of parliament in 1973, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001 and 2008 from a Kishoreganj constituency.

He was unanimously elected Deputy Speaker in the seventh parliament in 1996, and in 2001 was elected Speaker.

In the present parliament, he was unanimously elected Speaker in January 2009.