Oli Ahmed on the power of the President: 'No opportunity to work independently'


Published: 12:15 21 August 2026
Colonel (retd) Oli Ahmed, the candidate of the 11-party unity alliance led by Jamaat-e-Islami and the chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), has congratulated Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in advance for being elected as the President. At the same time, he urged the newly elected President to work for the welfare of the country.
Oli Ahmed said these things at a press conference held on Thursday (August 20) afternoon.
Congratulations to Mirza Fakhrul
In the press conference, Oli Ahmed congratulated Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on being elected as the President and said that they have spent a long working life together. He expects good things from the newly elected President.
He said that his expectation from Mirza Fakhrul is to rise above everything and work for the welfare of the country.
Oli Ahmed's statement on his election results
Oli Ahmed also spoke about his position in the presidential election. Thanking everyone who supported him, he claimed that a large section of the people supported him in surveys conducted by various organizations.
According to Oli Ahmed, various surveys showed 68 to 70 percent support for him and 28 to 31 percent for Mirza Fakhrul. According to him, the people's opinion has been revealed through these surveys.
Question about the power of the President
Oli Ahmed also commented on the constitutional power of the President and the current power structure of the country.
He said that everyone is aware of the power of the President. He claimed that the President's scope for independent work is very limited within the current structure.
Oli Ahmed said, "The President has no scope for independent work except visiting shrines and offering prayers in mosques."
He also said that there are three shrines and a mosque inside Bangabhaban. Highlighting the limitations of the President's power, he expressed hope for the establishment of a balance of power in the state in the future.
Expectation of a balance of power
Oli Ahmed expressed hope that when the National Assembly convenes in the coming days, there will be a discussion on establishing a balance of power among various institutions of the state. He also indicated that there needs to be a constitutional balance of power between the President and the Prime Minister.
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