The people of Thakurgaon are celebrating the election of Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as Bangladesh’s 23rd president, capping a long political career that began in his hometown.
Fakhrul, born on January 26, 1948, spent his childhood in Thakurgaon and passed his SSC from Thakurgaon High School in 1963, followed by HSC from Dhaka College in 1965. He later obtained bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics from the University of Dhaka, where he became active in progressive student politics and served as president of the East Pakistan Chhatra Union (Menon) university unit during the 1969 mass uprising.
After joining the Bangladesh Civil Service (Education) in 1972, he taught at Dhaka College and later Thakurgaon Government College.
During the Ziaur Rahman-led government, he served as private secretary to then deputy prime minister SA Bari.
He also served as deputy director of the Directorate of Inspection and Audit. In 1988, he left government service and was elected chairman of Thakurgaon Municipality, marking his formal entry into mass politics.
Ahead of the 1991 parliamentary election, Fakhrul joined the BNP and contested from Thakurgaon‑1. He became president of the district BNP in 1992 and was elected a lawmaker from Thakurgaon‑1 in 2001. He served as state minister for agriculture and later for civil aviation and tourism.
At the BNP’s fifth national council in 2009, he was elected senior joint secretary general. Following the death of Khandaker Delwar Hossain in 2011, Khaleda Zia appointed him acting secretary general, a post he held until being elected secretary general in 2016. After BNP’s victory in the 13th parliamentary election in 2026, he was appointed minister for local government, rural development and cooperatives. He resigned from party posts upon his nomination for president.
Family and Legacy
Fakhrul’s father, Mirza Ruhul Amin, was elected to the East Pakistan Provincial Assembly and later served as a lawmaker from Dinajpur‑4 (now Thakurgaon‑2) in 1979 and 1988. He held ministerial portfolios under the Ershad regime. Fakhrul is married to Rahat Ara Begum. They have two daughters: Mirza Shamarruh, an Australia‑based medical scientist who was named Australian of the Year in 2022, and Mirza Safarur, a teacher in Dhaka.
Sports and Culture
Beyond politics, Fakhrul has long been involved in sports and cultural activities. His acting journey took off with a school play, Spain Bijoyee Musa. He was acclaimed for his performance in the play Nawab Sirajuddaulah, in which Anwar Hossain, the protagonist of the 1967 film of the same title, was present. Fakhrul also played a key role in introducing cricket to Thakurgaon in the 1980s.
People’s Reaction
“It is a matter of pride not only for me, but also for the people of the country, that my friend will assume the office of president,” said Professor Monotosh Kumar Dey, Fakhrul’s childhood friend.
Shariful Islam, president of the Thakurgaon Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the district was proud to see “our Alamgir Sir” elected to the country’s highest constitutional office. People from across Thakurgaon echoed the sentiment, celebrating the elevation of one of their own to the presidency.
