EC pays courtesy call on President Mirza Fakhrul

The Election Commission is paying its first courtesy call on newly elected President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir at Bangabhaban.

Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin is leading the delegation at Thursday’s meeting.

Election Commissioners Abdur Rahmanel Masud, Anwarul Islam Sarker and Abul Fazal Md Sanullah are also attending, while Commissioner Tahmida Ahmad is abroad.

Fakhrul was elected president in a parliamentary vote on Aug 20 and sworn in the following evening as Bangladesh’s 23rd head of state.

He assumed the presidency after stepping down as local government minister and secretary general of the ruling BNP.

The current Election Commission was appointed in November 2024.

Before announcing the schedule for the 13th parliamentary election in December last year, the commission briefed then-president Mohammed Shahabuddin on its preparations.

Under the current commission, the general election was held in February, followed by the election to reserved women’s seats in May.

The presidential election was its most recent assignment.

Since taking office, the commission has overseen the voter list, constituency delimitation, the general election and the presidential vote.

Local government elections are next and will be held in phases.

“This is a courtesy call on the president at Bangabhaban at 12:30pm on Thursday,” Commissioner Masud said.

“He may want an update from us on the election and other matters, and we will brief him on our work.”

The chiefs of the three armed forces and the chief justice have already met the new president at Bangabhaban, with the Election Commission now following suit.