Mirza Fakhrul to Be Sworn In as President This Evening

President-elect Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir will take oath as the country's 23rd President at the Darbar Hall of Bangabhaban at 7:30 pm today. 

The Acting President, Prime Minister, Chief Justice, cabinet members, foreign dignitaries, and civil and military officials are expected to attend the oath-taking ceremony. 

Mirza Fakhrul, former secretary general of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), was elected President by lawmakers on Thursday, defeating his rival Colonel (retd) Oli Ahmed. 

Mirza Fakhrul secured 255 votes, while Oli Ahmed, 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 later issued a gazette declaring Mirza Fakhrul elected President under Section 11 of the Presidential Election Act, 1991.