Published: 12:08 AM, 20 August 2026
New President will take oath on Friday: Chief Whip
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, who is set to become Bangladesh's new president, will take the oath of office at Bangabhaban on Friday evening, Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni said on Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting of the BNP parliamentary party at Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, Moni said preparations had been completed for the oath-taking ceremony. He said the newly elected president would take the oath at Bangabhaban at 7:30pm on Friday, August 21.
The presidential election will be held at Parliament on Thursday from 2pm to 5pm. A total of 349 Members of Parliament are eligible to cast their votes in the election.
Mirza Fakhrul is contesting against retired Colonel Oli Ahmed, the candidate of an 11-party alliance led by the opposition. With the ruling BNP holding a clear majority in Parliament, Mirza Fakhrul is widely expected to secure victory.
The election is significant as it will be the first contested presidential election in Bangladesh in 35 years. The last contested presidential election was held in October 1991, when BNP candidate Abdur Rahman Biswas defeated Awami League candidate Badrul Haider Chowdhury.
Chief Whip Moni described Thursday's voting as a historic moment for the country. He said Parliament and the Election Commission had decided to broadcast parts of the voting process live.
The broadcast will begin shortly before voting starts and will show senior political leaders and the presidential candidates casting their votes. The announcement of the election results will also be broadcast live.
The Election Commission has said all preparations for the election have been completed. The results will be announced after voting and subsequently published in the official gazette.
If elected, Mirza Fakhrul will assume the presidency following the resignation of Mohammed Shahabuddin on July 24. Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad has been performing the president's responsibilities in the interim.
The oath-taking ceremony at Bangabhaban on Friday will formally mark the beginning of Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir's tenure as Bangladesh's new head of state.
