Lesson 3/34 min
Presidents and Prime Ministers: the story to 2026
Presidents that exams ask about
| Name | Why remembered |
|---|---|
| Sheikh Mujibur Rahman | The first President |
| Ziaur Rahman | The first President elected by direct popular vote (1978) |
| Justice Abdus Sattar and Hussain Muhammad Ershad | Two more directly elected (1981, 1986) |
| Abdur Rahman Biswas | Elected by MPs in 1991; he became President while Speaker |
| Mohammed Shahabuddin | Sworn in 24 April 2023; resigned 24 July 2026 |
| Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir | Elected 20 August 2026; sworn in 21 August 2026 |
Did you know?: After Shahabuddin resigned (citing ill health), Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad acted as President (Article 54). On 20 August 2026 Parliament elected Fakhrul by 255 votes, with 88 for Colonel (retd) Oli Ahmad. Reports call it the first contested presidential election since 1991. The acting Speaker administered the oath.
Watch out: Zubair's book names Abdul Hamid as the current President; that is out of date. As of August 2026 the President is Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Prime Ministers
| Name | Why remembered |
|---|---|
| Tajuddin Ahmad | The first Prime Minister (10 April 1971) |
| Khaleda Zia | The first woman Prime Minister (1991) |
| Tarique Rahman | Sworn in 17 February 2026 after the 13th election; Prime Minister in 2026 |
Watch out: Ordinal numbers for the presidents (22nd, 23rd and so on) differ between sources, so it is safer to learn names and years.
Check yourself
Who was the first President elected by direct popular vote?
At a glance
- 1
The first President was Sheikh Mujibur Rahman; the first President elected by direct vote was Ziaur Rahman (1978).
- 2
The first Prime Minister was Tajuddin Ahmad; the first woman Prime Minister was Khaleda Zia.
- 3
On 24 July 2026 President Shahabuddin resigned; the Speaker became acting President.
- 4
On 20 August 2026 Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was elected (255 votes); sworn in on 21 August 2026.
- 5
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, sworn in on 17 February 2026.