Bangladesh to hold first presidential election in 35 years on August 20

Published Aug 19, 05:05 PM UTC

Bangladesh will hold its presidential election on August 20, 2026, the first such election in 35 years. Lawmakers will vote between ruling BNP candidate Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and 11-party opposition alliance candidate Colonel (retd) Oli Ahmed. The election was necessitated after President Mohammed Shahabuddin resigned last month on health grounds. The BNP, which commands a two-thirds majority in Parliament, is expected to secure the presidency for Alamgir. The president-elect will be sworn in on August 21. The presidency is largely ceremonial under Bangladesh's parliamentary system, but analysts note it could gain significance under the recently reintroduced caretaker government system for overseeing general elections.