Bangladesh’s President, Mohammed Shahabuddin, has resigned from office, intensifying the country’s political uncertainty as speculation grows over the possible return of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from exile.
The resignation follows comments by Hasina in a recent Reuters interview in which she declared her intention to return to Bangladesh despite facing a death sentence over her government’s handling of the 2024 student-led demonstrations that ended her administration.
According to officials familiar with the matter, Shahabuddin formally submitted his resignation on Friday, citing health-related reasons.
His resignation letter has been forwarded to Parliament Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad.
The speaker, who was receiving medical treatment in Thailand, is reportedly cutting short his trip to assume the constitutional responsibilities of acting head of state until Parliament elects a successor.
Under Bangladesh’s Constitution, lawmakers are required to choose a new president within 90 days.
Political pressure on Shahabuddin had intensified in recent days, with senior figures in the governing Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) reportedly urging him to leave office.
The president had remained in his post despite sweeping political changes that followed last year’s uprising.
After the mass protests forced Sheikh Hasina from power, many senior government officials, security chiefs and public office holders associated with her administration were removed.
Shahabuddin, however, was among the few prominent allies who continued serving under the interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus and later after the BNP’s decisive victory in the February general election.
Although his presidential term was scheduled to run until 2028, Shahabuddin disclosed in an interview late last year that he wished to step down, saying he felt sidelined after official portraits of him were removed from Bangladeshi diplomatic missions abroad.
He had indicated he would remain in office until a newly elected government determined his future.
Hasina, who has been living in India since leaving Bangladesh, recently reaffirmed her determination to return home and defend herself in court.
Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal previously convicted the former prime minister in absentia for authorising the use of deadly force against demonstrators during the 2024 unrest.
The United Nations Human Rights Office estimates that about 1,400 people lost their lives during the violence, which ultimately led to her removal from office.
Since her departure, the Awami League has been prohibited from political activity, while numerous senior party officials have been arrested.
Speaking to Reuters, Hasina alleged that members of her political movement continue to face severe persecution.
She also said she wanted to return to Bangladesh regardless of the consequences, expressing a desire to face her fate in the country where her parents are buried.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong