Veteran politician Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was on Friday (August 21, 2026) sworn in as Bangladesh’s twenty third President.
Mr. Alamgir, a longtime secretary normal of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Occasion (BNP), was administered the oath of workplace by Jatiya Sangsad (Parliament) Appearing Speaker Kayser Kamal on the Darbar Corridor of Bangabhaban, the official office-cum-residence of the pinnacle of state.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Opposition Chief Shafiqur Rahman, former Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, Cupboard ministers, high military brass and a number of other different officers had been current on the oath ceremony.
After assuming the workplace of the president, 78-year-old Alamgir administered the oath of workplace to the 5 new faces within the Cupboard. The Cupboard now has 55 members, together with the Prime Minister.
BNP’s Shamim Kaiser Lincoln and PM’s Overseas Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir had been sworn in as state ministers. Rashiduzzaman Millat, the State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism, took the oath within the place of full minister.
BNP Standing Committee Member Abdul Moyeen Khan, Bangladesh Jatiya Occasion Chairman Andaleeve Rahman, and BNP lawmaker Sa Ching Pru additionally took the oath as ministers.
Forward of his oath ceremony, Mr. Alamgir visited the graves of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman and former prime minister Khaleda Zia and provided prayers.
Mr. Alamgir, an in depth ally of former premier Zia, defeated his lone rival, Colonel (retd) Oli Ahmed, the nominee of the Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party opposition alliance, within the first contested ballot for the publish in 35 years on Thursday.
The BNP stalwart secured 255 votes whereas Oli Ahmad bagged 88 votes.
It was the primary contested presidential election in Bangladesh since 1991, because the workplace had largely been stuffed via consensus and uncontested polls in current many years.
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.
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 served as performing President, as required below the Structure following a emptiness within the workplace.
The BNP, which was voted to energy within the February 12 elections, presently instructions a two-thirds majority in Parliament.
Forward of his election, Mr. Alamgir had pledged that he would by no means compromise on the nation’s independence and sovereignty.
He had been one of many BNP’s most outstanding leaders for greater than 20 years, having served as performing secretary normal from 2011 earlier than formally taking on the publish in 2016.
He performed a outstanding function in main the BNP in the course of the imprisonment of its then-chairperson and former Prime Minister Zia and the absence of Mr. Rahman, who was overseas on the time.
The President is essentially a ceremonial head of state below 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, mentioned the presidency might assume higher significance below the caretaker authorities system not too long ago reintroduced to supervise normal 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 election may very well 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 scholar 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.
Revealed – August 21, 2026 09:09 pm IST
