Bangladesh Elects Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as New President
DHAKA — August 21, 2026 — Bangladesh has elected veteran politician Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as the country’s 23rd president, following a parliamentary vote on Thursday, August 20, that marked the first contested presidential election in the country in 35 years .
Alamgir, 78, a longtime secretary general of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), secured 255 votes in the 349-member parliament, defeating opposition candidate Oli Ahmad, who received 88 votes . The ruling BNP holds an absolute majority in parliament .
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The presidential election was held to fill the vacancy left by former President Mohammed Shahabuddin Chuppu, who resigned on July 24 citing health complications . Under the constitution, a new president must be elected within 90 days of the office falling vacant .
Swearing-In Ceremony
Alamgir was sworn in on Friday evening, August 21, at the Darbar Hall of Bangabhaban, the presidential palace in Dhaka . Acting Speaker Kayser Kamal administered the oath of office in a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, cabinet members, the chief justice, foreign diplomats, and senior civil and military officials .
Prior to the ceremony, Alamgir visited the graves of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman and former prime minister Khaleda Zia to offer prayers .
Political Context
Alamgir, a former local government minister who has held several ministerial posts including agriculture, aviation, and tourism, has been one of the country’s most senior political leaders . He joined the BNP in the early 1990s after entering politics as a student leader during the 1969 uprising against Pakistan’s military rule .
The election comes months after the BNP returned to power following the February 2026 general election, winning a landslide victory . This marked the first election since the 2024 youth-led uprising that ousted the government of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina .
The previous president, Shahabuddin, was elected in 2023 during Hasina’s rule and was regarded as a close ally of the ousted leader . His position had come under growing pressure after Hasina’s ouster, with student groups accusing him of being a collaborator and organizing protests demanding his resignation .
Hasina remains in hiding in India, having refused to attend her trial in Dhaka, where she was found guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced to be hanged in November 2025 .
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The presidency in Bangladesh is largely ceremonial, with the president serving as head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces, generally acting on the advice of the prime minister .
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