Dhaka, Aug. 12 -- Speculation over the BNP's presidential nominee will end on Thursday, as its Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is scheduled to meet the party's Standing Committee members to make the final decision, with nomination papers for the presidential election scheduled to be submitted from 10am to 4pm that day.

Several BNP leaders said the party's candidate will be known after the meeting, scheduled for 12 noon, just hours before the nomination deadline expires at 4pm.

They, however, indicated that BNP Secretary General and Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is likely to get the ruling party's nomination for the presidency.

The BNP's formal announcement may come...