Former speaker Jamiruddin Sircar and BNP leader Moudud Ahmed are in a race to become the deputy leader of the opposition in parliament. The post is still vacant.

However, sources in the BNP said BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, leader of the opposition, has already decided in principle to nominate Sircar as the deputy leader of the opposition. They said Moudud Is still trying to garner support in hisfavour.

Sircar and Moudud were defeated in the December 29 parliamentary' elections in Panchagarh and Noakhali but they won in the April 2 by-elections of Bogra-6 and Bogra-7 constituencies.

Both of them are waiting to be sworn in as lawmakers.

Khaleda Zia had vacated the Bogra constituencies after winning all three seats in December.

Giving party tickets to Sircar and Moudud for the Bogra seats, Khaleda issued a lener to BNP leaders and workers in Bogra saying the party gave them nominations because it lacked experienced parliamentarians m the House.

Sources said BNP lawmakers Salauddin Quader Chowdhury and MK Anwar were in the race for the post of deputy leader of the opposition but Khaleda refused to pick any of them to avert controversy and resentment within the party.

"The ruling party' would benefit if Salauddin Quader Chowdhury is nominated as deputy leader of the opposition while senior leaders of the party will not accept the matter easily if MK Anwar is picked," a BNP lawmaker yesterday told The Daily Star.

The legislator also said the BNP chairperson, before giving Sircar the party ticket for Bogra-6, hinted that he would be nominated for the deputy leader of the oppositionpost.

Party leaders believe Sircar would be a good choice for deputy leader of the opposition as he is acceptable to party lawmakers. Sircar also knows very well how the parliamentary system works and its rules and regulations.

A BNP Parliamentary Party meeting, held before the ninth parliament went into session, nominated Khaleda as the leader of the opposition and empowered her to pick any lawmaker as her deputy.