BNP's Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir elected as 23rd President of Bangladesh

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, former Secretary General of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has been elected as the 23rd President of Bangladesh. He secured 255 votes in the presidential election held at the Jatiya Sangsad, the country's Parliament, defeating Oli Ahmed, the candidate backed by an opposition alliance, who received 88 votes.

A total of 343 members of Parliament cast their votes in the election, supervised by Chief Election Commissioner ASM Nasir Uddin. Alamgir's election is significant as it marks the first time in 35 years that more than one candidate contested the Bangladeshi presidential election. In previous polls, opposition parties had not fielded candidates, resulting in single-candidate races.

Alamgir's nomination followed his resignation as BNP Secretary General and a member of the party's National Standing Committee. The decision was announced by BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi after a party meeting, following discussions with BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman. Acting President and Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad, Major (Retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, and Rahman were among those who cast votes.

The election was necessitated by the resignation of Mohammad Shahabuddin, the 22nd President, who stepped down last month due to serious health complications. Shahabuddin had served since April 2023 and his five-year term was originally scheduled to end in April 2028. Under the constitution, the Speaker assumes presidential duties until a new president is elected within 90 days of the vacancy.