Bangladesh elects veteran politician Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as president

Bangladesh's Parliament elected Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, a prominent figure from the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), as the country's new president on Thursday. The decision came after the vacancy of the presidency following the resignation of former President Mohammed Shahabuddin, a close ally of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir secured 255 votes, while Oli Ahmed of the opposition party Jamaat-e-Islami and her allies received 88 votes. This marked the first contested presidential election since 1991, when Bangladesh transitioned into a parliamentary democracy. Every election since then had been uncontested, with no challengers to the ruling party's candidate.

Alamgir had been a long-time secretary-general of the BNP and had actively opposed Hasina's 15-year rule. Hasina fled the country in August 2024 during a mass uprising against allegations of autocratic rule and corruption. As the head of state and commander-in-chief of the influential armed forces, the president holds important roles during political crises, although the position is largely ceremonial.