Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the longest‑serving second‑in‑command of the BNP, was sworn in as Bangladesh’s new president yesterday, marking the crowning achievement of a five‑decade political career.
The 78‑year‑old veteran politician was administered the oath by acting speaker Kayser Kamal around 7:30pm in the Darbar Hall of Bangabhaban, the official residence and office of the head of state.
Outgoing acting president Hafiz Uddin Ahmad Bir Bikram, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, PM’s wife Zubaida Rahman, Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, acting Secretary General of the BNP and adviser to prime minister Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, former chief adviser of the interim government Prof Muhammad Yunus, opposition leader Shafiqur Rahman, cabinet members, judges of Supreme Court, leaders of different political parties, several hundred distinguished guests, including ambassadors and high commissioners, and editors and CEOs of different media houses attended the state ceremony.
Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani conducted the programme.
After the swearing-in, the president signed the oath documents, and the newly elected president and outgoing acting president formally switched seats to mark the transfer of charge.
A few minutes prior to the oath, president‑elect Mirza Fakhrul was received by acting president Hafiz Uddin. The two then proceeded to the Darbar Hall at 7:30pm, where a band troupe greeted them with a ceremonial tune.
The ceremony formally began with the national anthem followed by recitation from the Quran.
On the occasion, Bangabhaban was lavishly illuminated, with decorative lighting stretching from the main road in Gulistan to the main building. Although invitations were for 7:30pm, many guests began entering Bangabhaban shortly after 6:00pm.
Inside, the Darbar Hall was packed. Officials said that while the hall has a capacity of around 700, nearly double that number of guests were invited. Chairs were set up on the veranda, and large LED screens were installed so guests could watch the ceremony from a distance.
Organisers struggled to seat late-arriving important guests in the front rows. The state minister for Liberation War affairs and the state minister for education remained standing for a while on the front-left side of the hall. At one stage, Cabinet Division officials brought in chairs from outside to arrange seating for the two.
Following the resignation of Mohammed Shahabuddin, an Awami League‑nominated president, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad assumed office as acting president on July 24, making his tenure the shortest in history.
Fakhrul was elected by lawmakers on Thursday.
It was the first contested presidential election held since 1991. Between 1996 and 2023, eight presidents were elected unopposed, with ruling party candidates winning each time.
It has been 17 years since a BNP‑nominated president last entered Bangabhaban, following the completion of President Prof Iajuddin Ahmed’s tenure on February 12, 2009.
BIOGRAPHY
Born in Thakurgaon on January 26, 1948, Fakhrul came from a political family.
In 1988, he was elected chairman of Thakurgaon municipality as an independent candidate.
Fakhrul joined the BNP in the early 1990s during the anti-Ershad movement and became president of the Thakurgaon district BNP in 1992.
He contested the 1991 and 1996 national elections from Thakurgaon-1 but lost both times. He eventually won the constituency in 2001.
From 2001 to 2006, he served as state minister for both the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism.
Fakhrul lost the 2008 parliamentary election.
In the 2018 controversial election, the BNP nominated him from Thakurgaon-1 and Bogura-6. He won the Bogura-6 seat but did not take the subsequent oath as an MP.
Fakhrul began rising through the party ranks in the mid-2000s.
In December 2009, he was elected senior joint secretary general, and in March 2011, Fakhrul was appointed acting secretary general. Five years later, on March 19, 2016, he was elected BNP secretary general.
Fakhrul remained in the post until August 13 this year, when BNP nominated him for the presidency. During the prolonged Hasina-led regime, he was jailed at least 11 times, enduring a combined jail term of around three years.
PAST PRESIDENTS
Bangladesh’s first government was formed on April 10, 1971, with Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as founding president effective from March 26. As he was detained in a Pakistani jail, Syed Nazrul Islam served as acting president.
Since then, 19 individuals have held the presidency in full‑time, acting or in‑charge capacities. Abdul Hamid was the longest‑serving, holding office for a decade.
Several leaders held the presidency more than once, including Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Justice Abu Sayeed Chowdhury, Mohammad Mohammadullah, Ziaur Rahman, Justice Abdus Sattar, Hussain Muhammad Ershad and Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed. Of them, Sattar, Ziaur and Ershad were directly elected by voters.
Others, including Khandker Mustaque Ahmad, Justice Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem, Justice Abul Fazal Mohammad Ahsanuddin Choudhury, Abdur Rahman Biswas, Prof AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, Prof Iajuddin Ahmed, Zillur Rahman and Mohammed Shahabuddin, served as acting or full‑time presidents.
Since the restoration of democracy, the presidency has been largely ceremonial. Article 48(3) stipulates that, except for appointing the prime minister and chief justice, the president acts on the prime minister’s advice. The president remains head of state and supreme commander of the armed forces.
