The Election Commission (EC) has issued a gazette officially declaring BNP candidate Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir elected as Bangladesh’s 23rd president.
The gazette, issued on Thursday, formally confirmed Fakhrul’s victory in the presidential election held earlier in the day.
The notification was issued under Section 11 of the Presidential Election Act, 1991, and said Fakhrul was elected in accordance with Rule 12(6) of the Presidential Election Rules, 1991.
EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed signed the gazette.
Fakhrul defeated his lone rival, Colonel (retd) Oli Ahmad, the candidate of the 11-party opposition alliance led by Jamaat-e-Islami.
Fakhrul secured 255 votes, while Oli received 88 in the election held in the session chamber of National Parliament Building.
Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, who also served as the returning officer, announced the result after voting ended at 5pm.
“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.
Of the 343 valid votes cast, Fakhrul received 255 and Oli Ahmad 88, the chief election commissioner said.
Six of the 349 eligible voters did not participate in the election.
They were BNP lawmakers Mirza Abbas, Mostafa Kamal Pasha and Muhammad Osman Farruk; independent lawmaker Rumeen Farhana; Jamaat lawmaker Gazi Nazrul Islam; and Islami Andolan Bangladesh lawmaker Md Oli Ullah.
