Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has been sworn in as the country’s 23rd president. He took the oath at Bangabhaban on Friday evening. Acting Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal administered the oath. The prime minister, cabinet members, civilian and military officials, and other dignitaries attended the swearing-in ceremony.
President Md Sahabuddin resigned on July 24, citing health reasons. Under the constitution, Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed assumed the responsibilities of the presidency that same day. Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was elected president by a vote of members of parliament on Thursday. Under Article 70 of the constitution, MPs cannot vote outside their party’s decision, so with the ruling BNP holding more than a two-thirds majority in parliament, its candidate’s victory was already assured. Even so, because there was a rival candidate, voting was held Thursday as scheduled.
Of 349 votes cast, Mirza Fakhrul received 255 and the 11-party alliance’s candidate, Col. (retd.) Oli Ahmed, received 88. Six MPs from the government and opposition were absent for the vote.
The first vote in a presidential election came in 1991, the year the parliamentary system of government was reintroduced; every president since was elected unopposed. This was the first contested presidential vote in 35 years.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report