President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has taken the oath of office as Bangladesh’s 23rd President at the Darbar Hall of Bangabhaban.
The oath-taking ceremony was attended by the Acting President Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, cabinet members, foreign dignitaries, and civil and military officials.
Fakhrul, the former secretary-general of BNP, was elected president by lawmakers on Thursday, defeating his rival, Colonel (retd) Oli Ahmad. Fakhrul secured 255 votes, while Ahmad, the candidate backed by the Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party alliance, received 88 votes.
Of the 349 lawmakers on the voter list, 343 cast their votes in the special session of parliament held from 2pm to 5pm on Thursday.
The Election Commission had earlier issued a gazette declaring Mirza Fakhrul elected president under Section 11 of the Presidential Election Act, 1991.
