Army chief, Reza set to retain BOA posts

Army Chief General Abu Belal Muhammad Shafiul Huq and Syed Shahed Reza are all set to retain their posts as the president and secretary general of the Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) respectively as they are the lone candidates for the top two posts when the BOA polls are held on April 8.

Sitting BOA president General Abu Belal Shafiqul Huq and secretary general Shahed Reza submitted their nomination papers yesterday, the last day for submission, at the BOA Bhaban.

Traditionally the army chief holds the president's post but he has to go through the election procedure while Shahed Reza, a former diplomat, was elected unopposed four years ago.

Apart from these two posts, there are also nine other lone candidates in their respective categories, leaving the 29 other candidates to fight for 23 posts of BOA's 34-member executive committee for a four-year tenure.

“Of the 34 posts, there are 11 candidates in 11 separate categories and they will be elected unopposed if their respective nomination papers are found flawless and they don't withdraw the papers by April 1,” said the election's returning officer Goutam Chandra Paul, who is also the deputy secretary of the youth and sports ministry.