By Taiwo Scholarstica
Bangladesh’s President Mohammed Shahabuddin has resigned from office, citing worsening health, according to a resignation letter seen by AFP.
Shahabuddin, a close ally of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, confirmed his resignation during a telephone conversation with AFP on Friday.
“Yes, I have resigned,” Shahabuddin said when asked about reports that he intended to leave office before the end of his tenure in 2028.
The President did not give further details on his decision.
In the resignation letter addressed to the Speaker of parliament, Shahabuddin pointed to his declining physical and mental health as the reason for his decision.
“Due to worsening physical and mental incapacity… it is no longer possible for me to properly discharge the responsibilities of an important constitutional office such as the presidency,” it said.
The 76-year-old president, popularly known as “Chuppu”, was elected by parliament in 2023 with the backing of Hasina’s Awami League.
His position came under increased scrutiny following the student-led uprising that removed Hasina from power in 2024. The political upheaval also triggered calls for Shahabuddin to resign.
The president had previously faced allegations that he spoke with Hasina by telephone while receiving medical treatment in London in May. He denied the allegation.
On Thursday, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed of the governing Bangladesh Nationalist Party said the government had not been informed that the president had formally resigned.
“If he wants to resign, he would have to submit his resignation letter to the speaker in accordance with the Constitution,” he told reporters.
Shahabuddin’s resignation now leaves Bangladesh facing another significant political transition as the country continues to navigate the consequences of the 2024 uprising and the political changes that followed.