Bangladesh elects ruling party's Alamgir as president

Lawmakers in Bangladesh elected ruling party veteran Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as the country's president on Thursday, filling a largely ceremonial post left vacant by the early resignation of his predecessor.

How did Alamgir win the Bangladesh presidency?

Alamgir, 78, secretary-general of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and a local government minister, won 255 votes in parliament to become Bangladesh's 23rd president. His only rival, Oli Ahmad, nominated by the opposition 11-party alliance led by Jamaat-e-Islami, received 88 votes, according to the chief election commissioner.

What did Alamgir and his rival say after the vote?

"I dream of a happy, prosperous, and welfare-oriented state where marginalized communities, hard-working people, and daily wage earners can afford meals twice a day," Alamgir said before the vote, according to the state news agency BSS.

Oli, 87, offered his congratulations afterward. "We have high hopes from you," he said. "We expect you to serve the country by putting national interests above personal interests."

Bangladesh's close ally China also congratulated Alamgir. Its high commission in Dhaka said it looked forward to "a shared future in the new era."

Why was the Bangladesh presidency vacant?

The vote follows the resignation in July of the previous president, Mohammed Shahabuddin, 76, a close ally of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina who had faced pressure to quit. Widely known as "Chuppu," he was elected in 2023 and stepped down citing ill health, with his term originally due to end in 2028.

Thursday's poll was the first in 35 years in which more than one candidate contested the Bangladesh presidency. The previous presidential election involving a parliamentary vote was held in 1991.

How did the BNP come to power in Bangladesh?

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's BNP won a landslide victory in February, the first elections since a 2024 uprising ousted the government of Sheikh Hasina. Hasina remains in hiding in India and has refused to attend her trial in Dhaka.

In November, she was found guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced to be hanged. Rights groups had long accused Hasina's administration of abuses including the murder of rivals, suppression of opposition parties, rigged courts and one-sided elections.

Who is Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir?

Alamgir was born on January 26, 1948, and entered politics while studying economics at Dhaka University. He was a key student leader in the 1969 uprising against military rule by Pakistan, a stepping-stone toward Bangladesh's independence in 1971.

After teaching economics, he entered government service and then politics, holding posts including minister of agriculture, aviation and tourism. He rose to prominence as an opposition leader during Hasina's rule, while BNP head Khaleda Zia was in prison and her son Rahman was in exile.

Hasina's government repeatedly arrested Alamgir, and he faced dozens of charges he said were politically motivated. The BSS news agency said he had been praised for keeping the BNP organized and maintaining the party's political presence during difficult times.

Alamgir is married to Rahat Ara Begum, a retired financial official, and the couple have two daughters. As president, he will serve as head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces.