Bangladesh elects ruling party veteran Alamgir as president | Elections News
Bangladesh Elects Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as President Following Shahabuddin’s Resignation
Published Aug. 20, 2026
Members of Bangladesh’s parliament elected Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as the new president on Thursday, filling the vacancy left by former president Mohammed Shahabuddin’s early resignation due to health issues.
Alamgir, 78, a prominent member of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), won the election with 255 votes, defeating 84-year-old Oli Ahmed, the candidate of a coalition of opposition parties led by Jamaat-e-Islami.
In a statement prior to the vote, Alamgir expressed his aspirations for the country, stating, “I dream of a happy, prosperous, and welfare-oriented state where marginalized communities, hard-working people, and daily wage earners can afford meals twice a day,” according to the state news agency BSS.
The BNP returned to power in February after winning a two-thirds majority in parliament, following the dismissal of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government in 2024 amid widespread youth-led protests. Tarique Rahman, the BNP leader, was subsequently elected prime minister.
Shahabuddin resigned on July 24, citing serious health concerns, two years before the end of his term. According to the constitution, a new president must be elected within 90 days of a vacancy.
Though the presidential role in Bangladesh is largely ceremonial, it also includes duties as head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
Alamgir has been involved in politics since the early 1990s, having gained prominence as an activist during the 1969 uprising against Pakistan’s military rule while studying at Dhaka University. He has held various ministerial positions, most recently serving as the local government minister, and has been a vocal political figure during Hasina’s tenure, often facing arrest under claims of political motivation.
Shahabuddin was elected president in 2023 at a time when the Awami League was at the height of its power. A close associate of Hasina, he announced his resignation amid growing opposition pressure. Following the mass uprising that led to Hasina’s ouster, she has been residing in India but has indicated plans to return to Bangladesh in December.
