Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir Elected Bangladesh’s 23rd President

By Staff, Agencies

Bangladeshi lawmakers have elected Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, a candidate of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), as the country’s 23rd president.

The former BNP secretary-general secured 255 parliamentary votes in the presidential election, while Oli Ahmed, a former army colonel representing the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance, received 88 votes.

The president is the constitutional head of state, but the position is largely ceremonial.

The election was held on Thursday evening, with all 349 lawmakers casting their ballots.

It was the first presidential election in 35 years to feature more than one candidate. In previous elections, the political opposition had not contested the ruling party's candidate.

The Awami League, the party of ousted President Sheikh Hasina, was banned by the interim government of Muhammad Yunus and therefore could not participate in the election.

The election was necessitated by the resignation of Mohammed Shahabuddin last month, citing health issues, ahead of the official end of his term in April 2028.

A Reuters report, citing sources, said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's government had pressured Shahabuddin to step down because of his longstanding ties to Hasina, who is now in India.

Alamgir is scheduled to be sworn in on Friday evening.