Voting in the country’s 23rd presidential election ended at 5pm on Thursday. Polling was held continuously from 2pm to 5pm in the session chamber of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, with members of parliament casting their ballots.
After 35 years, the presidential election was once again held at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. BNP-nominated candidate Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Oli Ahmed, nominated by an 11-party alliance, are contesting the election.
Both ruling and opposition lawmakers took part in the voting. Acting President Hafiz Uddin Ahmed was the first to cast his ballot, followed by Acting Speaker Kaiser Kamal. Parliamentary leader and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman then cast his vote alongside BNP candidate Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
A total of 349 MPs took part in the voting. However, Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s sole MP, Maulana Mahmudul Hossain Oliyullah, said he would not vote in the presidential election.
In a statement, the party, led by Charmonai Pir Mufti Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim, said it would boycott the election because the government had backtracked on an agreement reached on the July Charter regarding the presidential election.
Vote counting began in the parliamentary chamber immediately after polling ended at 5pm.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission said the acting speaker will administer the oath of office to the newly elected president at 7:30pm on Friday.
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