# Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir: Journey from Grassroots to BNP's Presidential Candidate *Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, BNP secretary general, has been nominated as the 23rd President of Bangladesh, marking the culmination of his decades-long political career.* August 13, 2026 ยท Politics Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secretary general, has been formally declared as the party's candidate for the 23rd President of Bangladesh. This nomination marks the pinnacle of his extensive political career that began in his student days and continued through various roles in academia, local government, and national politics. ## A Journey Through Politics Mirza Fakhrul's political journey started during his student life at Dhaka University, where he was involved in leftist politics and led the East Pakistan Students Union. After earning his degrees in economics, he became an economics teacher at Dhaka College before joining government service. His political career took off when he won the Thakurgaon Municipality election in 1988 as an independent candidate. He joined the BNP during the movement against Ershad in the early 1990s and quickly rose through the party ranks. Mirza Fakhrul served as a member of parliament and state minister for Agriculture and Civil Aviation and Tourism from 2001 to 2006. His leadership within the BNP became prominent during challenging times, especially after the political changes of 1/11 and the long rule of the Awami League. ## Leadership and Adversity Mirza Fakhrul's role as the BNP's secretary general has been crucial in maintaining the party's presence during difficult periods. His nomination for the presidency is seen as a recognition of his long-standing contributions to the party. Despite facing imprisonment and political repression, he has remained a steadfast leader. In his personal life, Mirza Fakhrul is known for being family-oriented. He is married to Rahat Ara Begum, and they have two daughters. His elder daughter works as a postdoctoral fellow in Sydney, Australia, while his younger daughter teaches at an English medium school in Dhaka. ## Sources - BSS --- Source: https://pulsetoday.com.bd/en/politics/mirza-fakhrul-presidential-candidate