UNB

President-elect Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir paid his respects to BNP founder and Shaheed president Ziaur Rahman and former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia at their graves in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar of the capital on Friday.

He went to the Zia Mausoleum inside Zia Udyan after Jummah prayers.

Mirza Fakhrul placed separate wreaths at the graves of Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia, recited Fateha and joined a munajat seeking their eternal peace.

Meanwhile, the veteran politician will be sworn in as Bangladesh’s 23rd president on Friday evening.

The oath-taking ceremony will be held at the Darbar Hall of Bangabhaban at 7:30pm.

Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad will administer the oath of office of the president, according to Bangabhaban.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, cabinet members, and hundreds of distinguished guests are expected to attend the event.

BNP candidate Mirza Fakhrul was elected the president defeating his lone rival Col (retd) Oli Ahmad, the candidate of the 11-party opposition alliance led by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, in the presidential election held on Thursday.

Of the 343 valid votes, Mirza Fakhrul secured 255, while Oli Ahmad received 88.

Among the 349 voters, six lawmakers did not vote in the presidential election.

The six voters who did not turn up are BNP lawmakers Mirza Abbas, Mostafa Kamal Pasha and Dr Muhammad Osman Farruk, independent lawmaker Rumeen Farhana, Jamaat lawmaker Gazi Nazrul Islam and Islami Andolan Bangladesh lawmaker Md Oli Ullah.

The Election Commission (EC) later issued a gazette notification declaring Mirza Fakhrul elected as the President of Bangladesh.