Bangladesh Heads for Historic Presidential Vote After 35 Years
What Happened
Bangladesh is holding a presidential election today, marking its first contested presidential poll in 35 years. Lawmakers will choose between ruling BNP candidate Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and opposition alliance nominee Oli Ahmed. Voting is taking place in Parliament from 2 pm to 5 pm local time, with the winner set to be sworn in on Friday.
Key Takeaways
The election is a significant political milestone for Bangladesh, as presidential races have largely gone uncontested since 1991. With the ruling BNP holding a parliamentary majority, Alamgir is widely seen as the frontrunner to become the country's 23rd President.