Bangladesh will maintain its presidential election on Thursday (August 20, 2026), with lawmakers set to decide on between the ruling BNP stalwart Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and 11-party Opposition alliance candidate Colonel (retd) Oli Ahmed.
The voting will happen for the primary time in a presidential election after a spot of 35 years.
The voting shall be held on the Parliament (Jatiya Sangsad) from 2:00 p.m. to five p.m. on August 20, in response to the Election Fee.
Mr. Alamgir, 78, is the candidate of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Celebration (BNP), whereas Colonel (retd) Ahmed, Bir Bikram, chairman of the Liberal Democratic Celebration (LDP), is contesting because the candidate of the Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party opposition alliance.
The Election Fee declared their nomination papers legitimate on August 16.
Talking on the BNP parliamentary occasion assembly on Wednesday, Mr. Alamgir appealed to the BNP lawmakers to vote for him in Thursday’s presidential election.
“If I’ve made any mistake or unintentionally damage anybody throughout my tenure, I search forgiveness,” stated Mr. Alamgir, who has served as BNP’s senior joint secretary common, appearing secretary common and secretary common.
A number of lawmakers current on the assembly stated the veteran chief turned emotional and broke down in tears a number of instances inside a couple of minutes.
Mr. Alamgir pledged that he would by no means compromise on the nation’s independence and sovereignty.
The president-elect will take the oath as Bangladesh’s new President on Friday night on the Darbar Corridor of Bangabhaban, The Every day Star reported, citing sources on the Secretariat and Parliament Secretariat.
The presidential election was necessitated after Mohammed Shahabuddin, an in depth aide of deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, resigned final month on well being grounds earlier than finishing his five-year tenure.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, who can be the BNP chairman, declared Mr. Alamgir, a longtime secretary common of the BNP and an in depth ally of former premier Khaleda Zia, because the ruling occasion’s presidential candidate.
Beneath the Structure, a brand new President is required to be elected inside 90 days of the workplace falling vacant.
Parliamentary Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad is presently serving as appearing president, as required beneath the Structure following a emptiness within the workplace.
The Structure offers for the president to be elected by Parliament.
The BNP, which was voted to energy within the February 12 elections, presently instructions a two-thirds majority in Parliament, placing Mr. Alamgir in a powerful place to safe the presidency.
If elected, Mr. Alamgir will develop into Bangladesh’s twenty third President. He has been one of many BNP’s most distinguished leaders for greater than twenty years, having served as appearing secretary common from 2011 earlier than formally taking on the submit in 2016.
He performed a distinguished function in main the BNP through the imprisonment of its then-chairperson and former Prime Minister Zia and the absence of Rahman, who was overseas on the time.
The president is basically a ceremonial head of state beneath Bangladesh’s parliamentary system, with key constitutional powers, together with appointing the Prime Minister and the chief justice.
Although the President is the supreme commander of the armed forces, these powers are typically exercised on the recommendation of the Prime Minister.
Political analysts, nevertheless, stated the presidency may assume better significance beneath the caretaker authorities system lately reintroduced to supervise common elections, when the president’s energy would enhance considerably in commanding the armed forces throughout such a interval.
The analysts additionally opine that Mr. Alamgir’s nomination could possibly be a well-calculated transfer of BNP, which in its election manifesto had promised to equip the president with extra energy by amending the Structure.
An economist by coaching, Mr. Alamgir made his political debut as a left-leaning pupil activist when Bangladesh was nonetheless East Pakistan. Bangladesh was liberated from Pakistan with India’s assist in 1971.
After becoming a member of the BNP within the early 90s, Mr. Alamgir served as State Minister for agriculture and civil aviation.
When the BNP returned to energy within the February 12 elections this yr, Mr. Alamgir was made the native authorities minister.
Printed – August 19, 2026 10:35 pm IST
