Newly elected President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir arrived at Bangabhaban on Friday evening to take oath as the country’s new president.
His motorcade entered Bangabhaban around 5:50pm.
Tight security measures were put in place around Bangabhaban ahead of the 7:30pm oath-taking ceremony, with traffic diversions introduced on several roads and law enforcement personnel deployed at key points.
Invited guests, including ministers, lawmakers, political leaders, judges, diplomats, and military and civilian officials, also began arriving at Bangabhaban, showing their invitation cards for entry.
The long-standing barricades in front of Bangabhaban have been removed, while nearby roads and footpaths have been cleaned. Illegal roadside businesses along the Gulistan-Bangabhaban route have also been cleared, leaving the area relatively quiet. Public movement, however, remains normal.
Acting Speaker of Parliament Kaysar Kamal will administer the oath to Fakhrul at the Durbar Hall, while Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani will conduct the ceremony.
The programme will begin with the national anthem and Quran recitation, followed by the presidential oath. Fakhrul will then sign the oath book and formally assume office.
According to Bangabhaban and Cabinet Division sources, more than 1,200 invitation cards have been distributed for the ceremony. Seating capacity at the Durbar Hall has also been increased from around 400 to more than 800.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, cabinet members, lawmakers, heads of constitutional bodies, judges, Election Commission officials, foreign dignitaries, ambassadors, opposition leaders, political representatives, journalists and civil society members are expected to attend.
Four new cabinet members are also expected to take oath after the presidential ceremony. BNP Standing Committee member Abdul Moin Khan, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BJP) Chairman Andalib Rahman Partha and Bandarban lawmaker Saching Prue Jerry are expected to be sworn in as ministers, while Gaibandha-4 lawmaker Mohammad Shamim Kaiser Lincoln is expected to take oath as a state minister.
President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is expected to administer their oaths.
