Bangladesh elected its president through a parliamentary vote for the first time in nearly 35 years on Thursday, with BNP candidate Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir defeating opposition contender Col (retd) Oli Ahmad by a commanding 255-88 margin to become the country’s 23rd president.
The election ended more than three decades of uncontested presidential races and marked another major turn in Fakhrul’s political career after around 15 years at the helm of the BNP as its secretary general.
Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, who served as returning officer, announced the result after voting ended at 5pm at the National Parliament.
“Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has secured 255 votes. I declare that, having received the highest number of votes, he has been duly elected president,” Nasir Uddin announced.
The Election Commission subsequently issued a gazette notification formally declaring Fakhrul president.
Of 349 eligible lawmakers, 343 cast their votes. Fakhrul received 255 votes, while Oli, the candidate of the Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party opposition alliance, secured 88.
Six lawmakers did not vote — BNP MPs Mirza Abbas, Mostafa Kamal Pasha and Dr Muhammad Osman Faruk; independent MP Rumeen Farhana; Jamaat MP Gazi Nazrul Islam; and Islami Andolan Bangladesh MP Md Oli Ullah.
Parliament erupts in celebration
The announcement triggered celebrations inside the Parliament Chamber, with lawmakers thumping their desks as Fakhrul raised his hand to acknowledge their congratulations.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman presented the president-elect with a red rose before shaking hands and embracing him.
In a notable display of political cordiality after the contest, Leader of the Opposition Dr Shafiqur Rahman and Deputy Leader of the Opposition Syed Abdullah Mohammed Taher approached the treasury bench with other opposition lawmakers.
Fakhrul left his seat and embraced Shafiqur.
Tarique then embraced Fakhrul, while the prime minister and opposition leader also exchanged an embrace.
Lawmakers from the treasury and opposition benches subsequently exchanged greetings as the chamber took on a celebratory atmosphere.
Fakhrul later shook hands with CEC Nasir Uddin and greeted election officials.
Bangabhaban is preparing to hold the oath-taking ceremony for the new president on Friday evening.
Ballot returns after nearly 35 years
Voting took place from 2pm to 5pm through an open ballot.
Acting President Hafiz Uddin Ahmad and acting Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal cast their votes at 2:10pm, followed a minute later by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Fakhrul.
With the Chittagong-4 seat vacant, 349 lawmakers were eligible to vote.
The National Parliament currently has 247 BNP MPs, 77 from Jamaat, eight from NCP, eight independents, three from Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis, and one each from Bangladesh Jatiya Party-BJP, Gono Odhikar Parishad, Ganosamhati Andolon, Khilafat Majlis, Islami Andolan Bangladesh and Jatiya Ganatantrik Party.
The BNP-led ruling camp commands 250 seats, while the 11-party opposition alliance has 90.
The result nevertheless showed Fakhrul receiving five votes more than the ruling camp’s stated strength, while Oli received two fewer than the opposition alliance’s 90 seats.
With six lawmakers absent, the open-ballot result provides an unusual glimpse of votes crossing the formal political divide.
The previous contested presidential election was held on October 8, 1991, when BNP candidate Abdur Rahman Biswas defeated Awami League candidate Badrul Haider Chowdhury by 172 votes to 92.
Every presidential election since then had ended without a ballot because only one candidate remained in contention.
Thursday’s election was triggered by Mohammed Shahabuddin’s resignation on July 24, after which Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad assumed responsibility as acting president.
Under Article 123(2) of the Constitution, an election must be held within 90 days when the presidency falls vacant following a resignation.