Congratulations to President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir

After 35 years, BNP-nominated candidate Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has been elected as the 23rd President of Bangladesh by members of parliament. He received 255 of the 349 votes cast in the presidential election held at the National Parliament on Thursday. His rival, 11-party alliance candidate Colonel (Retd.) Oli Ahmed Bir Bikram, received 88 votes. Voting took place from 2pm to 5pm.

After Chief Election Commissioner MM Nasir Uddin announced the results, BNP lawmakers expressed their support by applauding and congratulating the president-elect. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman congratulated him with roses, while Opposition Leader Shafiqur Rahman and Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam also congratulated him. The election took place in a cordial atmosphere, with both the government and opposition expressing satisfaction with the process. Such a political display of mutual respect is notable in Bangladesh’s recent history.

Mirza Fakhrul took oath as the 23rd President at Bangabhaban on Friday. China, the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland and other countries have already congratulated him. He is widely regarded as an experienced and respected political figure. He has built a reputation for his integrity, calm manner and commitment to his party. He remained active in BNP politics through years of political pressure, arrests and legal cases. He served as BNP secretary general during a particularly difficult period for the party, when former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia was imprisoned and BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman was living in exile. Despite repeated arrests and hundreds of cases, he continued to lead the party.

His political career began with student politics. He later worked as a teacher before entering electoral politics. In 1988, he was elected chairman of Thakurgaon Municipality. He subsequently became a key BNP leader and eventually served as the party’s secretary general. His election as the president indicates that he has reached the apex of his political career which started from ground level. It is felt that his experience and political background will enable him to fulfill his duties as per the constitution in a balanced manner. The other important development took place when Ruhul Kabir Rizvi was appointed as the acting secretary general of BNP after the election of Mirza Fakhrul as president of BNP.

Ruhul Kabir Rizvi is an experienced politician of BNP. He played a prominent role in the mass movement of the 1990s and later faced arrests and numerous cases during periods of political unrest. His appointment comes as BNP faces the challenge of maintaining a clear distinction between the party and the government. With Mirza Fakhrul now serving as head of state, Rizvi is expected to lead the party’s organisational and political activities.

The country is also facing a serious energy crisis, with shortages of gas and electricity affecting industries and economic activity. The government has taken steps to address the situation and instructed the relevant ministries to resolve the crisis. In this context, BNP will also face the task of keeping its organisational structure active and communicating with the public about government policies and national challenges. The election of Mirza Fakhrul as president and the appointment of Ruhul Kabir Rizvi as acting secretary general represent important changes for both the state and BNP. The developments are expected to shape the relationship between the presidency, the government and the ruling party in the coming days.