By Xinhua,
DHAKA : Zillur Rahman, senior leader of Bangladesh’s ruling party Awami League, was sworn in as the country’s 19th President Thursday evening.
Chief Justice MM Ruhul Amin administered the presidential oath to Rahman in Bangabhaban (President House) here.
Hundreds of guests, including Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, other top government officials and diplomats, were present at the brief oath ceremony.
Rahman, nearly 80, was declared as Bangladesh’s new elected President uncontested on Wednesday by the country’s Election Commission as he was the only presidential candidate.
After taking oath, Rahman began his five-year term as President, nominal head of the state, replacing incumbent President Iajuddin Ahmed who has already met his five-year term.
Earlier on Thursday before taking oath, Rahman said, “I will try my level best to uphold the image of the country and I will perform my duty showing respect to the dignity of the post.”
Rahman, two-time general secretary of Awami League, was minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives in 1996-2001 under the government led by Awami League.
Rahman is now the senior presidium member of the ruling party Awami League and performed as acting president of the party after its chief Sheikh Hasina was arrested by the immediate past caretaker government in 2007.
He was endorsed as the presidential candidate by Awami League on Jan. 3 after the party won the country’s ninth parliamentary elections held on Dec. 29 last year, bagging 230 out of all 300 parliament seats.
Bangladesh has a parliamentary system of government headed by prime minister while the president is the head of state, a largely ceremonial post elected by the parliament.
President of Awami League Sheikh Hasina became Prime Minister and formed her cabinet on Jan. 6.