Bangladesh's presidential election got under way on Thursday, with lawmakers voting to elect the country's 23rd president in the first contested poll for the post in 35 years.
How the Election Is Being Conducted
The voting, which will continue till 5 p.m. local time, is taking place in the Jatiya Sangsad (parliament), with 349 lawmakers eligible to cast their ballots. The election is being conducted through an open ballot system, meaning votes are cast in a transparent manner visible to observers, rather than through secret ballot.
The Two Candidates in the Race
Ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) candidate Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is the frontrunner in this contest, facing Colonel (retd) Oli Ahmed, LDP Chairperson and the nominee of the Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party Opposition alliance. If elected, Alamgir would become Bangladesh's 23rd President, marking a significant political milestone given how rare a genuinely contested race for this position has been in recent decades.
Why This Election Matters
The fact that this marks the first contested presidential poll in 35 years makes it a notable moment in Bangladesh's political history. Presidential elections in the country have typically been uncontested affairs, so having two candidates from opposing political camps facing off adds a layer of genuine political significance to today's vote, reflecting the broader political dynamics currently at play in Bangladesh between the ruling BNP and the Jamaat-e-Islami-led opposition alliance.
Results are expected to be announced once voting concludes and ballots from the 349 eligible lawmakers are counted.
FAQs
Q1. Who are the candidates in Bangladesh's presidential election?
The candidates are BNP's Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, considered the frontrunner, and Colonel (retd) Oli Ahmed, LDP Chairperson and nominee of the Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party Opposition alliance.
Q2. How many lawmakers are eligible to vote in this election?
A total of 349 lawmakers in the Jatiya Sangsad (parliament) are eligible to cast their ballots.
Q3. Why is this election considered significant?
This is the first contested presidential poll in Bangladesh in 35 years, marking a notable departure from previous uncontested presidential elections.