Bangladesh Holds First Contested Presidential Election in 35 Years

Bangladesh is conducting its first contested presidential election since 1991, with 349 lawmakers eligible to vote between 08:00 GMT and 11:00 GMT on Thursday.

The contest features BNP candidate Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, 78, against retired Colonel Oli Ahmad, 85, of the Liberal Democratic Party, with Alamgir holding a significant numerical advantage.

The presidency holds limited executive authority under Article 48(3) of the constitution, which requires the president to act on the prime minister's advice for most official duties.