DHAKA, August 21. /Dunyo IA/. Bangladesh has elected a new president – Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, candidate of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), becoming the first winner of a contested presidential election in the country in 35 years, reports Dunyo IA correspondent, citing Xinhua.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir received 255 votes from members of parliament, while his rival, Liberal Democratic Party Chairman Oli Ahmed, nominated by a coalition led by “Jamaat-e-Islami,” received 88 votes. A total of 349 lawmakers were eligible to vote, with 343 valid ballots cast.

The president of Bangladesh is elected by parliament, where the BNP holds an absolute majority. Former President Mohammed Shahabuddin was elected unopposed in 2023 and subsequently resigned.

The powers of the president are largely ceremonial, with the head of state generally acting on the advice of the prime minister. The inauguration of the new president is scheduled for today.

It is worth noting that Uzbekistan and Bangladesh established diplomatic relations on October 15, 1992. Interests of Uzbekistan in Bangladesh are represented by Ambassador Sardor Rustambaev, who is based in New Delhi.