Dhaka: Bangladesh President Mohammad Shahabuddin resigned on Friday, nearly two years before the end of his term. The 76-year-old cited health problems as the reason for his resignation.
According to a report in The Daily Star, when asked about the reasons for his resignation, the President stated that he was suffering from several health issues. A spokesperson for the presidential palace, Bangabhaban, stated that Shahabuddin’s representative had left for Parliament with his resignation. The resignation will be submitted to Speaker Hafizuddin Ahmed.
According to Bangladesh’s constitution, the Speaker of Parliament will serve as acting president until a new president is elected. However, a spokesperson for the Presidential Palace said no official comment could be made on the matter until the Speaker formally receives the resignation.
The presidency was assumed in 2023
Mohammad Shahabuddin was sworn in as President of Bangladesh in April 2023 for a five-year term. He previously served as a lower court judge and played a role in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. Shahabuddin was elected to the country’s highest constitutional office by the then-Parliament. He was among the first prominent constitutional officials to remain in office despite the student protests and political turmoil of July-August 2024.
Following these protests, the Awami League government of then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted from power. Sheikh Hasina subsequently fled to India and has been living there since August 5, 2024. Now, with the President’s resignation, Bangladesh’s politics has seen another major shift.