Bangladesh elects a new president

Bangladesh's parliament has elected Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) veteran Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as the country's new president.

This was reported by Reuters.

In the vote, the 78-year-old Alamgir received 255 votes, ahead of the opposition alliance's candidate Oli Ahmed, for whom 88 lawmakers voted. Chief Election Commissioner A.M.M. Nasir Uddin officially declared him the winner.

The election took place after the resignation of the previous president, Mohammed Shahabuddin, for health reasons.

According to the agency, Alamgir will become head of state and supreme commander of the armed forces. His inauguration is expected to take place on Friday evening.