Bangladesh to Swear In Mirza Fakhrul as New President

News Desk 

Dhaka: Bangladesh is set to swear in Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as its new president today, following a contested presidential election that ended with the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader securing a clear majority.

Fakhrul won 255 votes in the presidential ballot, defeating Liberal Democratic Party Chairman Oli Ahmed, the candidate backed by a Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance, who received 88 votes.

The oath-taking ceremony is scheduled for Friday evening and will formally mark the beginning of Fakhrul’s tenure as Bangladesh’s 23rd president.

The election was triggered by the resignation of former President Mohammad Shahabuddin Chuppu on July 24, leaving the country required to elect a successor within 90 days under the constitution.

Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasiruddin announced the result after Thursday’s parliamentary ballot.

Fakhrul’s election places a veteran BNP politician in the country’s highest constitutional office at a politically significant time. His victory also reflects the ruling party’s strong position in parliament, where it secured a two-thirds majority in the February general election.

The presidential contest was closely watched despite the expected advantage enjoyed by the ruling party, with particular attention focused on the final vote tally between the two candidates.

Fakhrul, a veteran politician and long-serving BNP leader, is scheduled to take the oath on Friday evening, completing the constitutional process to fill the presidential vacancy.