Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin has resigned two years ahead the end of his full five-year term, citing health reasons for his decision.
In a statement announcing his decision, Shahabuddin said that health concerns had made it increasingly difficult for him to carry out the responsibilities of the office.
Shahabuddin said in a statement released by his press secretary, “Recent medical examinations have diagnosed me with a condition known as Autonomic Neuropathy. Due to this condition, I occasionally experience momentary loss of consciousness.”
The move comes amid rising demand from opposition parties for him to step down.
The resignation comes amid media reports that Shahabuddin spoke on the phone with ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is living in India, during a visit by the former to the UK for medical treatment in May this year, according a Dhaka-based news agency.
Shahabuddin has refuted the media report. “I am suffering from various health complications,” he told the news agency when asked about the reason for his resignation. “I have nothing more to add at this moment,” he added.
He had travelled to London on May 9 and returned on May 18. Shahabuddin has been the President of the South Asian nation since April 2023. His term was meant to end in 2028. He oversaw the country during a volatile period after Hasina was ousted in August 2024 by youth protesters and until a caretaker government was formed days later.
Hasina is currently living in exile in India’s capital, New Delhi, but is expected to return to Bangladesh in December, according to a news agency.
Earlier this month, Hasina said in an interview that she and her allies would return from exile in India and face the court in Bangladesh. Last year, the International Crimes Tribunal in Bangladesh found Hasina guilty of allowing lethal force to be used against protesters.The UN Human Rights Commission has estimated that at least 1,400 people died during the unrest which eventually saw Hasina flee the country.
The court sentenced her to death in absentia.In the months following her departure, her party, the Awami League, has been banned from politics, and many of its leaders jailed. “My party leaders and workers are being subjected to tremendous repression,” she said during the interview earlier this month. “If death comes, I want it to come on my own soil, where my parents are buried and where their blood was shed,” she added.
The resignation is likely to intensify discussions about the country’s political future, particularly as Bangladesh prepares for the next phase of its constitutional and electoral processes. The selection of Shahabuddin’s successor is expected to attract close attention from both the ruling party and the opposition.
The resignation also comes as Bangladesh continues to face broader economic and political challenges, including inflation, employment concerns and efforts to strengthen investor confidence. Analysts note that maintaining political stability will remain important as the country seeks to sustain economic growth and attract foreign investment.
International observers have closely monitored political developments in Bangladesh in recent years, encouraging dialogue among political stakeholders and calling for peaceful democratic processes. Several rights organisations have also urged all parties to respect constitutional institutions and avoid actions that could further heighten tensions.
Bangladesh’s Parliament Speaker To Be Acting President
The Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad, the national parliament, will perform the duties of the President until a new one is elected, the statement added.
Shahabuddin said in a letter to Parliament Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed today, “I am seriously ill … therefore, I am unable to perform my duty of the constitutional post.”
According to the Constitution, the President’s resignation becomes “effective upon submission of a signed letter to the Speaker,” the President’s Spokesperson, Sarwar Alam, said.
A new President must be elected within the next 90 days, according to the constitution.
His resignation leaves Hasina with no allies in high office five months before her planned return.
Following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina’s government in the July mass uprising, sweeping changes were made across the board. Many of her allies were removed, ranging from top-ranking bureaucrats and police officials who had served under her administration to others in key positions. Shahabuddin was one of the few allies to remain in office.
However, as Bangladesh’s President, his role is largely ceremonial. While he is the Head of state, the Executive power rests with the Prime Minister and cabinet.
Attention is now focused on how the leadership change will affect the country’s political landscape. While Shahabuddin cited health as the reason for his resignation, the timing of his departure amid sustained political pressure is expected to remain a subject of debate in the weeks ahead.
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