Mirza Fakhrul sworn in as Bangladesh`s 23rd president

Veteran politician Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was sworn in Friday evening as Bangladesh's 23rd president in a lavish ceremony at Bangabhaban's historic Durbar Hall, with Acting Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal administering the oath of the nation's highest constitutional office.

The proceedings, orchestrated by Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani, opened with the national anthem and Quranic recitation before Alamgir formally signed the oath register and assumed his designated seat, officially completing the transfer of executive authority. The historic occasion drew an array of dignitaries, including Prime Minister and BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman and his wife Dr. Zubaida Rahman, outgoing acting president Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram, Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, former Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, opposition leader Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, cabinet members, lawmakers, senior judiciary figures, military and civil officials, foreign diplomats, and prominent citizens from across society.

Alamgir's ascension follows his decisive victory in Thursday's presidential election, where he secured 255 votes in parliament against 88 for his nearest rival, Colonel (retd.) Oli Ahmed, candidate of the Jamaat-led 11-party alliance -- a result subsequently formalised through official gazette notification under the Presidential Election Act, 1991. Ahead of the ceremony, Alamgir paid tribute at the graves of BNP founder and former president Ziaur Rahman and former prime minister Khaleda Zia in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar following Friday prayers.

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The presidency had remained vacant since Md. Sahabuddin's resignation on 24 July, during which Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed served as acting president under constitutional provisions -- a role that, along with Kaiser Kamal's tenure as acting speaker, concluded with Friday's swearing-in. Authorities enforced tight security and traffic diversions around Bangabhaban for the ceremony, which drew more than 1,200 invited guests and was followed immediately by the swearing-in of new cabinet members as part of a broader ministerial expansion.