India, Aug. 20 -- Bangladesh has a new President-elect, veteran politician Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, who belongs to the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). He defeated challenger Oli Ahmed of the opposition Jamaat-e-Islami party by 255 votes to 88 to become President.

Alamgir's election is unlikely to be good news for former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is currently in exile in India and plans to return to her country in December this year.

Last month, Mohammed Shahabuddin, who took office during Hasina's rule, resigned as Bangladesh president halfway through his term following years of political turbulence. His resignation meant that Hasina, lost a trusted ally in the establishment at home.

Alamgir was a long...