Bangladesh lawmakers have elected Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as the country's new president, with 255 votes out of a possible 349. The election was held on Thursday and marked the first contested presidential vote in 35 years, since Bangladesh became a parliamentary democracy in 1991. Alamgir, who is 78 years old and has been secretary general of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), will serve as head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. He defeated Oli Ahmed, a retired army officer-turned-politician from the opposition Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance, who received 88 votes. The election was triggered by the resignation of former president Mohammed Shahabuddin last month, citing health concerns. As president, Alamgir has promised to serve the people and put national interests above personal ones.
The party is expected to use its majority to hand the 78-year-old Alamgir the largely ceremonial presidency.
Alamgir was repeatedly arrested under Hasina's government, facing dozens of charges he said were politically motivated.
| Signal | Value | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Correction rate | 0.000 | 0.4 |
| Uncertainty density | 0.108 | 0.25 |
| Assertive mismatch rate | 0.000 | 0.35 |