Published: 09:02 AM, 21 August 2026
Mirza Fakhrul elected 23rd President of Bangladesh
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Thursday congratulates newly elected President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir with red roses after he was declared the 23rd President of Bangladesh. -PMO
BNP candidate Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has been elected as the 23rd president of Bangladesh.
Mirza Fakhrul, who secured 255 votes, defeated his lone rival Oli Ahmed, the candidate backed by the Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party alliance, in the presidential election held in the session chamber of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Thursday. Oli Ahmed obtained 88 votes. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin, also Returning Officer of the election, announced the polls results after the balloting ended at 5:00pm. The Election Commission (EC) later issued a gazette notification declaring Mirza Fakhrul Islam as the President of Bangladesh. Members of parliament cast their votes from 2pm to 5pm, marking the first presidential election with multiple candidates since 1991.
Among the 349 voters, six lawmakers did not vote in the presidential election.
The six voters who did not turn up are BNP lawmakers Mirza Abbas, Mostafa Kamal Pasha and Dr Muhammad Osman Farruk, independent lawmaker Rumeen Farhana, Jamaat lawmaker Gazi Nazrul Islam and Islami Andolan Bangladesh lawmaker Md Oli Ullah.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman congratulated newly elected President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir with red roses after the announcement of the results.
Lawmakers greeted the new President by thumping their desks, while Mirza Fakhrul responded by raising his hand.
Acting Speaker Kayser Kamal will administer the oath to Fakhrul at Bangabhaban at 7:30pm today.
China, the United Kingdom, France, and Switzerland have congratulated Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir following his election as the 23rd President of the People's Republic of Bangladesh.
"Warm congratulations to Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on his election as President of the People's Republic of Bangladesh," said the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the British High Commission in Dhaka has congratulated Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on his election as the President of Bangladesh.
"The UK looks forward to working with Hon. President Fakhrul and the Government of Bangladesh to further strengthen the close and longstanding partnership between our two countries," said the High Commission in a message.
The Embassy of France extended its warmest congratulations to President Alamgir and said it recognises his longstanding contribution, as a veteran politician, to Bangladesh's democratic journey.
The Embassy of Switzerland also congratulated President Alamgir.
"As a longstanding partner, we look forward to further strengthening bilateral relations between Switzerland and Bangladesh," said the Swiss Embassy in Dhaka.
