Bangladesh elects veteran politician Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as president
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was a long-time secretary-general of BNP and steered the political movement against the 15-year rule of Hasina
DHAKA, Bangladesh — The ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secured a presidential victory on Thursday, with Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir taking office as the country's new president. This follows the resignation of the previous president, who was an ally of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, after a period of political turmoil.
The election, the first contested since 1991, saw Alamgir receive 255 votes, ahead of opposition party challenger Oli Ahmed, who garnered 88 votes. There were 349 eligible members of Parliament who voted in the election. Bangladesh's president holds the position of head of state and commander-in-chief of the military, while the prime minister leads the government; however, the role is largely symbolic.
Former President Mohammed Shahabuddin, who served under Hasina's leadership, resigned in the middle of his term amid growing political unrest. Hasina, currently residing in exile in India, lost a key ally in the domestic political scene. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, who defeated Hasina's party in the February general election, now heads the new government.
Written by urgent.news from Associated Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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