Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was sworn in as the 23rd President of Bangladesh on Friday.

He took the oath at 7:30pm at the Durbar Hall of Bangabhaban. Acting Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal administered the oath.

Following the oath-taking, Acting President Major (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed formally handed over the responsibilities of the presidency to Fakhrul.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Leader of the Opposition Dr Shafiqur Rahman, members of the Cabinet, the Chief Justice, Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus and diplomats from different countries, political leaders and members of parliament attended the ceremony, which was conducted by Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani.

According to Cabinet Division sources, around 1,200 distinguished guests were invited to the ceremony. The formal oath-taking ceremony began with the national anthem, followed by recitation from the Holy Quran.

Tight security measures were put in place in and around Bangabhaban ahead of the ceremony. The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) implemented special traffic arrangements in the area from 3pm to 9pm to ensure smooth movement of vehicles carrying invited guests.

On Thursday, BNP candidate Fakhrul was elected President in the presidential election held in parliament, securing 255 votes. His rival, Oli Ahmed, the candidate of the 11-party alliance, received 88 votes.