BNP candidate Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has unofficially been elected as the 23rd President of Bangladesh.

Mirza Fakhrul won the presidential election, defeating his lone rival opposition Jamaat-led 11-party contender Col (Retd) Oli Ahmad by a huge margin.

He obtained 255 votes, while Oli Ahmad bagged 88 votes in the presidential election held in the session chamber of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Thursday.

A total of 343 MPs out of total 349, who are eligible to vote, exercised their franchise in the election.

Chief Election Commissioner and also Election Returning Officer AMM Nasir Uddin announced the election results after the balloting.

Soon after the announcement of the results, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman greeted Mirza Fakhrul with a flower and embraced him.

The opposition leadership also congratulated him.