Dhaka: Ahead of the party's sixth national council, Bangladesh National Party on Monday announced the schedule for elections to the party chairperson and senior vice chairman posts.

BNP standing committee member and its election commissioner Jamiruddin Sircar announced the election schedule at a press briefing at BNP's Nayapaltan central office.

Sircar said the elections will be held on the party's national council day on 19 March.

According to the schedule, the aspirants will have to collect nomination papers on 2 March from BNP's Nayapaltan central office and submit it there on March 4 to contest the elections. The nomination papers will be scrutinised on 5 March.

The time for withdrawal of nomination is 10am to 4pm on March 6. The candidates for the two posts must be at least 30 years old and members of the party.  

The aspirants will be able collect and submit the nomination papers directly by themselves or by their nominated agents.  

Another BNP standing committee member, Nazrul Islam Kahn, will perform the duty of returning officer in the polls.

In BNP's fifth council in December, 2009, Khaleda Zia was elected chairperson unopposed while her eldest son Tarique Rahman was made senior vice chairman.  

Khaleda Zia has been in the post of chairperson since 1984.