Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has been elected as the country’s 23rd president through a contested vote. Colonel (retd), the candidate of the Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party alliance, was held in the session room of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Thursday (August 20th). He defeated Ali Ahmed.
At the end of the voting, ballots were counted. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Officer AMM Nasir Uddin announced the results after the counting.
Fakhrul 255, Oli 88
The CEC said there were 349 voters in the presidential election. Thirty-three of the votes were cast. Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir got 255 votes, while Colonel (retd.) Oli Ahmed received 88 votes.
There were six unused ballots. Four ballots were replaced by the law due to various errors.
At the time of the announcement of the results, CEC AMM Nasir Uddin Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was elected as the 23rd President of Bangladesh.
Congratulations to the Parliament
After the announcement of the results, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman greeted the new President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir with a red rose. Later, other members of parliament, including the opposition leader, congratulated him.
How to vote
In the presidential election, the MPs sit in their respective seats and sign their full name and vote for the candidate of their choice by ballot. Acting president Hafiz Uddin Ahmed first cast his vote at the beginning of the election. Later, acting speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal, prime minister Tarique Rahman and other MPs voted.
This is the first time the presidential election has been held since 1992. In the past, most of the elections have been elected president unopposed. This time, with the victory of Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, a new chapter has been added to the history of the presidential election.