Dbarta24 Special Correspondent — In a landmark political moment, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) nominee Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has been elected as the 23rd President of Bangladesh.
He secured 255 votes in the Jatiya Sangsad to defeat his rival, Colonel (Retd) Oli Ahmad of the Jamaat-led 11-party alliance, who received 88 votes.
The victory marks the first competitive presidential election in Bangladesh in 35 years. Following open ballot counting in the session hall of the National Parliament, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A M M Nasir Uddin officially announced the results.
Voting Process in Parliament
The electoral proceedings commenced at 2:00 PM with a recitation from the Holy Quran. After the Chief Election Commissioner formally announced the candidates and outlined the parliamentary election rules, parliamentary staff distributed physical paper ballots directly to lawmakers at their seats.
Acting President Hafiz Uddin Ahmad Bir Bikram cast the first vote, followed by Acting Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, and other members of parliament, including Mirza Fakhrul himself.
Of the 349 voting members of parliament, BNP MP Mirza Abbas was unable to participate due to illness. Opposing candidate Colonel (Retd) Oli Ahmad was ineligible to cast a ballot as he does not hold a seat in parliament.
Voting took place across three ballot boxes, with lawmakers signing their full names on ballot papers before depositing them. The initial 20 minutes of the voting procedure were broadcast live.
Context and Political Analysis
The competitive nature of this election ends a multi-decade trend. The last contested presidential election in Bangladesh took place on October 8, 1991.
In subsequent election cycles—1996, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2013, 2018, and 2023—presidents were chosen uncontested due to a lack of opposition candidates.
Given the BNP’s existing two-thirds majority in parliament following the February general elections, Mirza Fakhrul’s victory was widely anticipated.
However, the margins between the two candidates carried notable political significance, serving as a measure of unity across both government and opposition benches.
Oath Taking at Bangabhaban
Following the formal vote count, Government Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni confirmed that the newly elected president will officially take his oath of office.
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is scheduled to be sworn in as President of Bangladesh at Bangabhaban on Friday (August 21) at 7:30 PM.