Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin resigned amidst reports of rift with interim government. His resignation on Friday, comes nearly two years after the completion of his five-year term.
According to local media reports, the interim government had grown uncomfortable with Shahabuddin’s continuation in office because of his perceived proximity to Hasina. Reports also suggested that the President had recently attempted to re-establish contact with the former premier, further straining his ties with the administration.
The latest development in the Bangladesh’ government comes just days after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who has been living in exile in India since being ousted during the 2024 protests, announced that she intends to return to Bangladesh in December and surrender following her conviction by a war crimes tribunal.
A former ally of Hasina and the Awami League’s nominee, Shahabuddin was elected unopposed as President in 2023. He was among the last constitutional office holders from the former Awami League administration to remain in office after the 2024 political upheaval.
Under Bangladesh’s Constitution, Parliament Speaker Hafizuddin Ahmed will serve as the acting President until a new head of state is elected.
While reports linked the resignation to Shahabuddin’s association with Hasina, senior political leaders told local media that the decision was driven by a combination of factors, particularly after the ousted Prime Minister publicly declared her intention to return to the country.
Shahabuddin, a veteran of the 1971 Liberation War and a former judge, had earlier indicated that he planned to step down after the general election, saying he had been sidelined during the tenure of the interim administration that replaced Hasina’s government.
The resignation comes at a politically sensitive time as the government of Prime Minister Tariq Rehman prepares for Hasina’s planned return, a move widely expected to test Bangladesh’s political stability after two years of turmoil.