On Thursday, Bangladesh’s parliament voted to elect Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the Secretary General of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), as the country’s new president.
With a strong majority in the legislature, the BNP secured the presidency for Alamgir, who defeated Oli Ahmed, a retired army officer and candidate from the opposition Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance.
This election occurs following the resignation of former President Mohammed Shahabuddin in July, who cited health concerns. Shahabuddin was a close ally of the recently ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Who is Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir?
In February, the BNP, under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, won a landslide victory in the first elections since Hasina’s ouster in 2024.
Utilizing their parliamentary majority, the party appointed the 78-year-old Alamgir to the largely ceremonial position of president.
“I never thought that I would become the president; it is the infinite grace of the party and almighty Allah,” Alamgir told reporters, as reported by the state news agency BSS.
“Even after becoming president, I wish to remain beside the people and serve them.”
Alamgir has a history of political persecution, having been arrested multiple times under Hasina’s government on charges he described as politically motivated.
He has been recognized by media for his efforts in keeping the BNP organized and maintaining its presence during difficult political times under Hasina’s rule.
Edited by: Zac Crellin
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