Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin has resigned from office, nearly two years before the scheduled end of his term…reports Asian Lite News Desk
Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin has resigned from office, nearly two years before the scheduled end of his term, with the Speaker of Parliament formally accepting his resignation, according to local media reports.
Shahabuddin, who assumed office in April 2023, was due to remain in the role until April 2028. He was the only senior constitutional office holder to continue in his position following the political upheaval triggered by the July 2024 demonstrations.
Speaking to The Daily Star, Shahabuddin said health concerns had prompted his decision to step down.
“I am suffering from various health complications. I have nothing more to add at this moment,” he said.
His resignation comes amid reports that he held a telephone conversation with former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina while undergoing medical treatment in London in May.
According to The Daily Star, intelligence agencies later became aware of the conversation, after which Shahabuddin was reportedly asked to resign.
However, a senior leader of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) told the newspaper that the reported phone call was not the only reason behind the President’s departure, describing the circumstances as “more complex”.
Shahabuddin’s continuation in office had been the subject of political debate since the removal of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government during the July 2024 protests, Prothom Alo reported.
His resignation also comes amid an intensifying crackdown by the BNP-led government on leaders associated with the Awami League.
Earlier this year, Shahabuddin claimed that attempts had been made to remove him from office during the tenure of the previous interim government led by Muhammad Yunus.
In an interview with Bengali daily Kaler Kantho at Bangabhaban, the presidential residence in Dhaka, Shahabuddin alleged that he had been excluded from key discussions during the interim administration and claimed there had been efforts to create political instability.
“During those one and a half years, I have not been in any discussion, yet various conspiracies are being hatched against me. There have been many attempts to permanently destroy the peace and order of the country and create a constitutional vacuum,” he said.
The presidency in Bangladesh is largely a ceremonial office, but Shahabuddin’s resignation marks another significant development in the country’s evolving political landscape following last year’s unrest and subsequent change in government.
