Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Thursday congratulated Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir with a red rose immediately after the BNP candidate was declared elected as Bangladesh’s 23rd President.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Returning Officer AMM Nasir Uddin announced the results at 5:20pm after the completion of ballot counting in the Parliament Chamber.

Fakhrul secured 255 votes, while his rival Colonel (retd) Oli Ahmad, the candidate of the 11-party alliance led by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, received 88 votes.

“Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has secured 255 votes. I declare that, having received the highest number of votes, he has been duly elected President,” Nasir Uddin announced.

Immediately after the declaration, Prime Minister Tarique rose from his seat, shook hands with the newly elected President and presented him with a red rose.

Lawmakers across the Parliament Chamber congratulated Fakhrul by thumping their desks.

The newly elected President then raised his hand and greeted the lawmakers, who continued applauding him by thumping their desks.

Leader of the Opposition Dr Shafiqur Rahman, Deputy Leader of the Opposition Syed Abdullah Mohammed Taher and other opposition lawmakers then came towards the treasury bench.

Fakhrul left his seat and first embraced Shafiqur Rahman after opposition MPs came towards the treasury bench.

The Prime Minister then came forward from his seat and embraced Fakhrul.

Tarique and Shafiqur Rahman also embraced each other.

Lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition parties subsequently exchanged greetings with the newly elected President.

The atmosphere in the Parliament Chamber turned celebratory following the announcement of the result.

Fakhrul later shook hands with CEC Nasir Uddin, who conducted the presidential election, and greeted other election officials.

Of the 349 eligible voters, six Members of Parliament did not cast their votes.

Dhaka-8 MP Mirza Abbas and Chattogram-3 MP Mostafa Kamal Pasha had informed the acting Speaker in writing that they would be unable to vote due to illness.

Others absentees included Kishoreganj-3 MP Dr Muhammad Osman Farruk, Jamaat’s controversial Satkhira-4 MP Gazi Nazrul Islam, independent Brahmanbaria-2 MP Rumeen Farhana and Md Oli Ullah, MP from Barguna-1 representing Islami Andolan Bangladesh.

According to the election authorities, 343 MPs cast their ballots, all of which were valid.

Voting was held from 2pm to 5pm, with ballot counting beginning at 5:02pm.

During the counting, agents of the two presidential candidates were present, including Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni and Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam, along with whips Miah Nuruddin Ahmad Apu and Rakibul Islam Bakul.