By Mir Lutful Kabir Saadi
Dhaka: Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, one of the most experienced and long-serving leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has been sworn in as the 23rd President of Bangladesh, marking a significant transition in the country’s political and constitutional landscape.
The 78-year-old veteran politician took the oath on Friday evening at the historic Durbar Hall of Bangabhaban. Acting Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad, Kaiser Kamal, administered the oath. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman, former interim government Chief Adviser and Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus, senior political leaders, ministers, members of parliament, judges, diplomats, military chiefs, senior civil servants, journalists and other distinguished guests attended the ceremony. However, immediate past President Muhammad Sahabuddin Chuppu was not invited to the ceremony. Speaking to Dainik Amar Desh, he expressed his disappointment and he felt embarrassed by the omission.
Mirza Fakhrul’s assumption of the presidency follows the resignation of Md Shahabuddin on July 24, 2026, after which Hafiz Uddin Ahmed served as Acting President for nearly a month.
A Historic Presidential Election
Mirza Fakhrul was elected President through a direct vote in Parliament on Thursday, August 20, in what was described as Bangladesh’s first contested presidential election in approximately three and a half decades. The BNP nominated Mirza Fakhrul as its candidate, while the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party alliance nominated veteran politician Colonel (Retd.) Oli Ahmed Bir Bikram.
Of the 349 votes cast, Mirza Fakhrul secured 255 votes, while Oli Ahmed received 88 votes. The remaining votes were not reflected in the two candidates’ totals.
The result was formally announced by Chief Election Commissioner A.M.M. Nasir Uddin, who served as the election officer. The official gazette announcing the election result was published later that night.
The contested election is politically significant because Bangladesh had not experienced a presidential contest involving multiple candidates for around 35 years. Although the presidency is largely constitutional in character under Bangladesh’s parliamentary system, the election provided an unusually direct parliamentary expression of competing political preferences for the country’s highest constitutional office.
The Swearing-In Ceremony
Mirza Fakhrul arrived at Bangabhaban at around 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The formal ceremony began at approximately 7:30 p.m. in the packed Durbar Hall. Acting President Hafiz Uddin Ahmed sat in the designated presidential chair, with President-elect Mirza Fakhrul on his right and Acting Speaker Kaiser Kamal on his left.
The ceremony began with the national anthem, accompanied by the military band, followed by Qur’an recitation. Acting Speaker Kaiser Kamal then administered the oath of office to Mirza Fakhrul.
After taking the oath, the new President signed the oath document. Hafiz Uddin Ahmed subsequently congratulated him with flowers. Mirza Fakhrul then moved to the President’s designated chair, formally assuming the responsibilities of the office. The outgoing Acting President and the Acting Speaker subsequently joined the guests. Cabinet Secretary Dr Nasimul Gani conducted the proceedings.
More than 1,200 guests were reportedly invited to the ceremony, reflecting the importance attached to the constitutional transition.
A Ceremony Reflecting Political Continuity and Change
The composition of the guest list was particularly noteworthy. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman were seated in the front row, alongside former interim government Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus. Mirza Fakhrul’s wife Rahat Ara Begum and other members of the President’s family were also present.
Among the distinguished guests were Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, Leader of the Opposition and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Amir Dr Shafiqur Rahman, BNP Standing Committee members, senior cabinet ministers, the Chief Election Commissioner, judges of the Supreme Court, the chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Force, diplomats, political leaders, editors, senior journalists and senior civil and military officials.
The presence of representatives from across Bangladesh’s political and institutional spectrum gave the ceremony a broader significance beyond the formal transfer of constitutional office.
From Party Secretary General to President
Mirza Fakhrul’s elevation to the presidency represents the culmination of a political career spanning more than five decades. He had served as BNP Secretary General for many years and became one of the party’s most recognisable public faces during periods of intense political pressure and organisational difficulty. Immediately after being elected President, he resigned from his BNP position and from the cabinet, in accordance with the constitutional requirements associated with the presidency. Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, formerly the party’s Senior Joint Secretary General, was subsequently given responsibility as Acting Secretary General of the BNP.
The transition therefore represents not simply a change of office but a clear separation between Mirza Fakhrul’s long political career within the BNP and his new role as head of state.
Tribute to Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia
Before taking the presidential oath, Mirza Fakhrul visited the graves of BNP founder and former President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia. Following Friday prayers, he went to the Zia Memorial Complex, laid floral wreaths at the graves and stood in silence before offering Fateha and making dua.
The visit carried considerable symbolic importance. For decades, Mirza Fakhrul had worked within the political tradition established by Ziaur Rahman and subsequently led by Khaleda Zia. His visit before assuming the presidency was therefore seen as a moment of personal reflection as well as a tribute to the political figures who shaped his career.
A Long Journey from Student Politics to the Presidency
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was born on January 26, 1948, in Kalibari, Thakurgaon. His father, Mirza Ruhul Amin, was a prominent Muslim League politician and a former member of the East Pakistan Provincial Council. Mirza Fakhrul completed his higher secondary education at Dhaka College before studying economics at the University of Dhaka, where he obtained both bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
During his university years, he became involved in left-wing student politics. He was associated with the then East Pakistan Students Union and eventually became president of its Dhaka University unit during the mass uprising of 1969.
His early political experience was therefore rooted not in BNP politics but in the broader anti-authoritarian and left-oriented student movement of the late 1960s. During the Liberation War of 1971, he reportedly played an organisational role among left-leaning activists and freedom fighters and later took refuge in India.
Teacher, Civil Servant and Political Organiser
After independence, Mirza Fakhrul joined the teaching profession in 1972. He taught economics at Dhaka College and several other government colleges. He also held government responsibilities, including serving as Deputy Director in the Directorate of Inspection and Audit. During the administration of President Ziaur Rahman, he served as private secretary to then Deputy Prime Minister S.A. Bari and was also associated with the Bangladesh National Commission for UNESCO. His career thus combined education, public administration and political activity.
In 1986, he resigned from government service to enter mainstream politics. Two years later, he contested the Thakurgaon municipal election as an independent candidate and was elected chairman of the municipality, a position equivalent to the present-day mayoral office.
Joining the BNP
As the anti-Ershad movement intensified in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Mirza Fakhrul joined the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. He gradually rose through the party hierarchy, serving in organisational positions and becoming involved with the Jatiyatabadi Krishak Dal, the BNP’s farmers’ organisation. In 1992, he became President of the Thakurgaon district BNP. His rise within the BNP accelerated during the following decades.
In December 2009, he was elected Senior Joint Secretary General of the party at its fifth national council. In 2011, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia appointed him Acting Secretary General. He was subsequently appointed Secretary General on a permanent basis in 2016. He ultimately became the longest-serving Secretary General in the history of the BNP.
Leading the BNP Through Its Most Difficult Years
Much of Mirza Fakhrul’s political prominence was built during a particularly difficult period for the BNP. During the long rule of the Awami League government, BNP leaders and activists faced extensive political pressure and legal challenges. Khaleda Zia was imprisoned and later became seriously ill, while Tarique Rahman remained abroad after leaving Bangladesh during the political upheaval surrounding the 1/11 period.
In this difficult environment, Mirza Fakhrul emerged as one of the principal leaders managing the party’s day-to-day political activities. He was arrested and imprisoned on several occasions during this period.
His public image also developed around a relatively moderate, restrained and courteous political style. Even political opponents were reported to have acknowledged his personal qualities, distinguishing his political disagreements from his conduct toward individuals.
Parliamentary and Ministerial Career
Mirza Fakhrul was first elected to Parliament from Thakurgaon-1 in the 2001 national election. After the BNP formed the government, he served first as Minister of Agriculture and subsequently as State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism. He was elected to Parliament again in 2018, although he did not take the oath in accordance with the BNP’s political decision at the time.
Following the BNP’s victory in the February 2026 parliamentary election and the formation of the government under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Mirza Fakhrul joined the cabinet as Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives. His ministerial career, however, was short-lived. His election as President required him to leave both the cabinet and active party office.
Four Decades of Public Life
Mirza Fakhrul’s career is unusual in the sense that it crosses several major phases of Bangladesh’s political history. He has experienced the politics of the late Pakistan period, the Liberation War, post-independence public administration, the military-backed political era, the Ershad period, the restoration of parliamentary democracy, the political confrontations of the 1990s and 2000s, and the intense partisan environment of the following decades.
His journey has taken him from student activism to teaching, from government service to local government, from parliamentary politics to ministerial office, and finally to the presidency.
Changes in the Cabinet
Mirza Fakhrul’s move to Bangabhaban also triggered a reshuffle in the government. Following his departure from the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, Khandaker Abdul Moin Khan was assigned the ministry.
Several other changes were also announced. Rashiduzzaman Millat, previously State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism, was promoted to Minister of the ministry. Former Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afrozza Khanam (Rita) was transferred to the Ministry of Food. Saching Prue Jerry, a parliamentarian from Bandarban, was appointed Minister for Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs. Andaliv Rahman Partha, chairman of the Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP), was appointed Minister for Information and Broadcasting. Mohammad Shamim Kaiser was appointed State Minister for Religious Affairs, while Humayun Kabir became State Minister for Foreign Affairs.
The changes demonstrate that the presidential transition has had immediate implications for the composition and distribution of responsibilities within the government.
International Recognition
Following Mirza Fakhrul’s election, congratulatory messages reportedly came from several countries, including China, India, Pakistan, the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Germany and Nepal.
China expressed optimism that bilateral strategic cooperation would reach new heights under the new President. The United Kingdom conveyed its willingness to work with Bangladesh on issues including climate change, trade and the Rohingya crisis.
Indian President Droupadi Murmu congratulated Mirza Fakhrul and highlighted the historical, cultural and people-to-people links between India and Bangladesh, expressing hope for stronger cooperation in energy, technology and connectivity. Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari also extended congratulations and invited Mirza Fakhrul to visit Pakistan at a mutually convenient time, emphasising the historical and cultural links between the two countries.
France, Switzerland and Germany also reportedly sent congratulatory messages, highlighting economic development, human rights, sustainable development, trade and technological cooperation. Nepal’s President Ram Chandra Paudel expressed optimism about strengthening regional connectivity and trade between the two South Asian neighbours.
The breadth of these messages suggests that the international community is closely watching Bangladesh’s political transition and the direction of its foreign relations under the new administration.
The Presidency and the BNP: A Constitutional Separation
One of the most important aspects of Mirza Fakhrul’s elevation is the constitutional separation between the presidency and partisan politics. Although he reached the presidency through a political career spanning more than five decades and was nominated by the BNP, the office of President requires him to function as the constitutional head of state rather than as a representative of a political party.
His resignation from the BNP leadership and cabinet therefore carries more than procedural significance. It creates an opportunity for the presidency to be repositioned as an institution above day-to-day partisan competition. How effectively that separation is maintained in practice will be one of the important tests of Mirza Fakhrul’s presidency.
A New Test of Leadership
Mirza Fakhrul enters Bangabhaban at a politically significant moment. He inherits an office that is largely ceremonial and constitutional in Bangladesh’s parliamentary system but nevertheless carries considerable symbolic authority. His principal challenge will be to transform his reputation as a veteran partisan politician into that of a constitutional statesman capable of representing the entire republic. That will require maintaining institutional neutrality, respecting constitutional procedures, encouraging political dialogue and ensuring that the presidency remains accessible to citizens across political and social divisions.
His long experience in opposition politics may prove valuable in understanding political disagreement. At the same time, his deep association with the BNP means that maintaining public confidence in the impartiality of the presidency will be particularly important.
A Presidency with a Broader Symbolism
Mirza Fakhrul’s story is ultimately larger than the formal transfer of an office. It is the story of a teacher who entered public life, a civil servant who left government service for politics, a local government leader who entered national politics, a parliamentarian who became a minister, a party leader who guided the BNP through prolonged political adversity, and finally a veteran politician who has assumed the highest constitutional office of the state.
At 78, he begins what may be the final and most consequential chapter of his public career. The central question now is whether the qualities that earned him a reputation for experience, moderation, personal courtesy and political resilience can be translated into the broader responsibilities of the presidency.
For Bangladesh, the significance of his presidency will ultimately depend not merely on how he reached Bangabhaban, but on how he exercises the constitutional responsibilities entrusted to him and whether he can become a unifying figure for a politically diverse nation.
The transition from BNP Secretary General to President is therefore not simply a change of position. It is a test of whether a veteran partisan politician can successfully evolve into a national constitutional statesman.
