President of Bangladesh

President of Bangladesh
President of Bangladesh
	Presidential Coat of Arms
	Incumbent; Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir; since 21 August 2026
Style	The Honorable
Residence	Bangabhaban Palace
Term length	Five years, renewable once
Inaugural holder	Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Formation	26 March 1971
Website	http://www.bangladesh.gov.bd/

The President of Bangladesh is the Head of State of Bangladesh. Since 1991, Bangladesh is a parliamentary democracy. This makes the President a mostly ceremonial post elected by the parliament.^[1] The President lives at the Bangabhaban Palace which is his office and home.

List of officeholders

Political parties

Awami League (AL)

Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League (BaKSAL)

Jatiyatabadi Front / Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)

Janadal / Jatiya Party (JP(E))

Other affiliations

Military

Independent

Status

Acting president

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Elected	Term of office			Political party (Coalition)
No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Elected	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Political party (Coalition)
Provisional Government of Bangladesh (1971–1972)
1		Sheikh Mujibur Rahman শেখ মুজিবুর রহমান (1920–1975) ^[a]	—	17 April 1971	12 January 1972	270 days		AL
—		Syed Nazrul Islam সৈয়দ নজরুল ইসলাম (1925–1975) ^[b]	—	17 April 1971	12 January 1972	270 days		AL
People's Republic of Bangladesh (1972–present)
First parliamentary republic (1972–1975)
2		Abu Sayeed Chowdhury আবু সাঈদ চৌধুরী (1921–1987)	—	12 January 1972	24 December 1973	1 year, 346 days		AL
3		Mohammad Mohammadullah মোহাম্মদ মুহম্মদুল্লাহ (1921–1999)	—	24 December 1973	27 January 1974	1 year, 32 days		AL
3		Mohammad Mohammadullah মোহাম্মদ মুহম্মদুল্লাহ (1921–1999)	1974	27 January 1974	25 January 1975	1 year, 32 days		AL
Semi-presidential republic (1975–1991)
1		Sheikh Mujibur Rahman শেখ মুজিবুর রহমান (1920–1975)	—	25 January 1975	15 August 1975 (Assassinated in a coup)	202 days		BaKSAL
4		Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad খন্দকার মোশতাক আহমেদ (1918–1996)	—	15 August 1975	6 November 1975 (Deposed in a coup)	83 days		Independent (with military support)
5		Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem আবু সাদাত মোহাম্মদ সায়েম (1916–1997) ^[c]	—	6 November 1975	21 April 1977	1 year, 166 days		Independent (with military support)
6		Ziaur Rahman জিয়াউর রহমান (1936–1981) ^[d]	1977^[e]	21 April 1977	12 June 1978	4 years, 39 days		Military
6		Ziaur Rahman জিয়াউর রহমান (1936–1981) ^[d]	1978^[f]	12 June 1978	30 May 1981 X	4 years, 39 days		Jatiyatabadi Front / BNP
7		Abdus Sattar আব্দুস সাত্তার (1906–1985)	—	30 May 1981	20 November 1981	298 days		BNP
7		Abdus Sattar আব্দুস সাত্তার (1906–1985)	1981^[f]	20 November 1981	24 March 1982 (Deposed in a coup)	298 days		BNP
Post vacant (24 – 27 March 1982)^[g]
8		A. F. M. Ahsanuddin Chowdhury আবুল ফজল মোহাম্মদ আহসানউদ্দিন চৌধুরী (1915–2001)	—	27 March 1982	10 December 1983 (Dismissed)	1 year, 258 days		Independent (with military support)
9		Hussain Muhammad Ershad হুসেইন মুহাম্মদ এরশাদ (1930–2019) ^[h]	1985^[e]	11 December 1983	15 October 1986	6 years, 360 days		Military
9			1986^[f]	15 October 1986	6 December 1990 (Forced to resign)	6 years, 360 days		Janadal / JP(E)
—		Shahabuddin Ahmed শাহাবুদ্দিন আহমেদ (1930–2022)	—	6 December 1990	20 March 1991	104 days		Independent
Second parliamentary republic (1991–present)
(—)		Shahabuddin Ahmed শাহাবুদ্দিন আহমেদ (1930–2022)	—	20 March 1991	10 October 1991	204 days		Independent
10		Abdur Rahman Biswas আবদুর রহমান বিশ্বাস (1926–2017)	1991	10 October 1991	9 October 1996	4 years, 365 days		BNP
11		Shahabuddin Ahmed শাহাবুদ্দিন আহমেদ (1930–2022)	1996	9 October 1996	14 November 2001	5 years, 36 days		Independent
12		A. Q. M. Badruddoza Chowdhury একিউএম বদরুদ্দোজা চৌধুরী (1930–2024) ^[i]	2001	14 November 2001	21 June 2002	219 days		BNP
—		Muhammad Jamiruddin Sircar মুহাম্মদ জমির উদ্দিন সরকার (1931–2026)	—	21 June 2002	6 September 2002	77 days		BNP
13		Iajuddin Ahmed ইয়াজউদ্দিন আহম্মেদ (1931–2012)	2002	6 September 2002	12 February 2009	6 years, 159 days		Independent
14		Zillur Rahman জিল্লুর রহমান (1929–2013)	2009	12 February 2009	20 March 2013Template:Natural causes	4 years, 36 days		AL
15		Mohammad Abdul Hamid মোহাম্মদ আব্দুল হামিদ (born 1944) ^[j]	—	14 March 2013	24 April 2013	10 years, 41 days		AL
15		Mohammad Abdul Hamid মোহাম্মদ আব্দুল হামিদ (born 1944) ^[j]	2013 2018	24 April 2013	24 April 2023	10 years, 41 days		AL
16		Mohammed Shahabuddin মোহাম্মদ সাহাবুদ্দিন (born 1949) ^[k]	2023	24 April 2023	24 July 2026 (Resigned)	3 years, 91 days		AL
16		Mohammed Shahabuddin মোহাম্মদ সাহাবুদ্দিন (born 1949) ^[k]	2023	24 April 2023	24 July 2026 (Resigned)	3 years, 91 days		Independent
—		Hafiz Uddin Ahmad হাফিজ উদ্দিন আহমদ (born 1944) ^[l]	—	24 July 2026	21 August 2026	28 days		BNP
17		Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir মির্জা ফখরুল ইসলাম আলমগীর (born 1948)	2026	21 August 2026	Incumbent	72 days		BNP

Notes

↑ Incarcerated in Pakistan till 8 January 1972.
↑ Acting in the absence of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
↑ Also Chief Martial Law Administrator (24 August 1975 – 4 November 1975 and 7 November 1975 – 29 November 1976).
↑ Also Chief Martial Law Administrator (29 November 1976 – 6 April 1979).
1 2 Referendum.
1 2 3 Direct election.
↑ During this period, Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Hussain Muhammad Ershad served as Chief Martial Law Administrator and de facto head of state.
↑ Served as Chief Martial Law Administrator until 30 March 1984.
↑ Also described in various government and press sources as the 16th, 15th, 13th, or 11th president of Bangladesh; no single officeholder numbering has been consistently used by the Bangladeshi government.
↑ Acting for Zillur Rahman until 20 March 2013.
↑ Elected as the nominee of the Awami League; the party was banned in 2025 following the 2024 uprising. Shahabuddin's official biography and his 2026 resignation letter describe him as the 22nd president of Bangladesh — a different, non-consecutive numbering tradition used in some government and press sources (compare the note on A. Q. M. Badruddoza Chowdhury above). This list uses consecutive numbering of distinct presidencies.
↑ Acting president as Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad, per Article 54 of the Constitution, pending election of a new president within 90 days under Article 123(1).

References

↑ Background Note: Bangladesh, US Department of State, May 2007

[2] Incarcerated in Pakistan till 8 January 1972.

[3] Acting in the absence of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

[4] Also Chief Martial Law Administrator (24 August 1975 – 4 November 1975 and 7 November 1975 – 29 November 1976).

[5] Also Chief Martial Law Administrator (29 November 1976 – 6 April 1979).

[Referendum-6] 1 2 Referendum.

[Direct_election-7] 1 2 3 Direct election.

[8] During this period, Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Hussain Muhammad Ershad served as Chief Martial Law Administrator and de facto head of state.

[9] Served as Chief Martial Law Administrator until 30 March 1984.

[10] Also described in various government and press sources as the 16th, 15th, 13th, or 11th president of Bangladesh; no single officeholder numbering has been consistently used by the Bangladeshi government.

[11] Acting for Zillur Rahman until 20 March 2013.

[12] Elected as the nominee of the Awami League; the party was banned in 2025 following the 2024 uprising. Shahabuddin's official biography and his 2026 resignation letter describe him as the 22nd president of Bangladesh — a different, non-consecutive numbering tradition used in some government and press sources (compare the note on A. Q. M. Badruddoza Chowdhury above). This list uses consecutive numbering of distinct presidencies.

[13] Acting president as Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad, per Article 54 of the Constitution, pending election of a new president within 90 days under Article 123(1).

[Background_Note:_Bangladesh-1] Background Note: Bangladesh, US Department of State, May 2007

[1]

[a]

[b]

[c]

[d]

[e]

[f]

[g]

[h]

[i]

[j]

[k]

[l]