President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday said he would carry out his duties in a completely non-partisan manner, saying he had resigned from his party, parliament and cabinet before assuming the presidency.

“I’m now a completely non-partisan person. I’ll continue to perform my duties in a non-partisan way,” Fakhrul told officials and staff at Bangabhaban, the presidential palace, in his first durbar since taking office.

“As president, I will have no anger or favour towards anyone. The interest of the country, the state and the people will be my only objective,” he said.

The president stressed the importance of ensuring public trust, honesty, integrity, sincerity and responsibility in all circumstances.

Addressing Bangabhaban officials, he called on them to work with dedication, sincerity and integrity, and to maintain love, respect and loyalty towards the country and its people.

The president said Bangabhaban was a symbol of state dignity and sovereignty whose standing must be preserved. “Daily operations and matters relating to important state decisions must be handled with strict confidentiality so that state security is never compromised,” he said.

He also urged frugality and responsibility in public spending, called for waste to be prevented, and asked officials to maintain discipline in their personal lives while working to strengthen their moral resolve and character.

The president paid deep respect to those who died in the 1971 liberation war and recalled with reverence the contributions of former President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia to building the country and the state after independence.