India, Aug. 14 -- The ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Thursday nominated its secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as its candidate for the country's presidency, setting the stage for his election as the next head of State.

The presidential election will be held on August 20.

The 78-year-old veteran politician resigned as BNP secretary general and from its highest policy-making standing committee after being nominated, senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced. "It is with great pleasure that I announce on behalf of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party that our dedicated secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, has become the BNP's presidential candidate," he said. The nomination was announced af...