Celebration in Thakurgaon as Mirza Fakhrul becomes President
Thakurgaon, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s home district, erupted in celebrations after he was elected the country’s 23rd President on Thursday. People from different walks of life joined rallies, distributed sweets and celebrated the announcement of the results.
Locals said they were proud to see Fakhrul, who rose from grassroots politics to the country’s highest constitutional post. His political career spans roles as a student leader, teacher, municipal chairman, lawmaker, state minister and BNP secretary general.
Fakhrul became involved in Chhatra Union politics while studying at Dhaka University and took part in the 1969 mass uprising. He later began his career as an economics teacher before returning to politics in 1986.
He was elected chairman of Thakurgaon Municipality in 1988 and joined the BNP during the anti-Ershad movement. He became president of Thakurgaon district BNP in 1992.
In the 2001 election, he was elected MP from Thakurgaon-1 and served as state minister for agriculture and later civil aviation and tourism. He became BNP’s senior joint secretary general in 2009, acting secretary general in 2011 and secretary general in 2016.
Local party leaders described his election as President as recognition of his long political career, dedication and leadership through various political crises.
