Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday took oath as the 23rd President of Bangladesh at Bangabhaban, the official residence of the President in Dhaka.
The oath was administered by Acting Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal, according to Bangladeshi media reports.
Outgoing acting President Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, former Chief Adviser of the interim government Prof Muhammad Yunus and several other distinguished guests attended the ceremony.
Fakhrul was elected as the 23rd President on Thursday after defeating Oli Ahmed, the candidate backed by the Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party alliance. He secured 255 votes, while Ahmed received 88 of the 343 valid votes cast in the presidential election held in Parliament.
The election was conducted under the supervision of Chief Election Commissioner and Returning Officer A M M Nasir Uddin.
The presidential election was notable as the first contested "ballot battle" in more than three and a half decades, breaking the longstanding practice of electing Presidents unopposed. The trend had continued since 1991, with the last presidential election decided through voting in Parliament taking place on October 8, 1991.
Hafiz Uddin Ahmed had been serving as acting President following the resignation of Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin on July 24. Under the country's Constitution, a new President must be elected within 90 days of the office falling vacant.
Fakhrul has served as BNP's Secretary General for more than 15 years and emerged as one of the party's most prominent public faces during a turbulent period.
When BNP leader Tarique Rahman was in exile in London and former BNP chief Khaleda Zia faced imprisonment, house arrest and prolonged illness, Fakhrul remained one of the senior party leaders based in Bangladesh.
He maintained contact with party workers across the country and played a key role in implementing party decisions on the ground.
With his election, Fakhrul now takes charge as Bangladesh's 23rd President at a significant political juncture for the country.
