Bangladesh’s President Mohammed Shahabuddin, a close ally of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has resigned from his largely ceremonial position, citing deteriorating physical and mental health.
Shahabuddin confirmed his resignation in a telephone conversation with AFP on Friday, amid widespread speculation that he intended to leave office before the end of his tenure in 2028.
“Yes, I have resigned,” the 76-year-old president said when asked about the reports.
He, however, did not provide further details about his decision.
In a resignation letter addressed to the speaker of parliament and seen by AFP, Shahabuddin said his declining health had made it difficult for him to continue carrying out his constitutional responsibilities.
“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,” the letter read.
Shahabuddin, popularly known as “Chuppu”, was elected president by parliament in 2023 with the backing of Hasina’s Awami League.
His position came under increased scrutiny following the 2024 student-led uprising that forced Hasina, who had been in power for years, out of office. The protests also triggered calls for Shahabuddin’s removal.
The president had previously faced allegations that he spoke with Hasina by telephone while receiving medical treatment in London in May. Shahabuddin denied the allegation.
The resignation came amid uncertainty over whether the government had been formally informed of his decision.
Bangladesh’s Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, a member of the governing Bangladesh Nationalist Party, said on Thursday that the government was unaware that Shahabuddin had submitted his resignation.
“If he wants to resign, he would have to submit his resignation letter to the speaker in accordance with the Constitution,” Ahmed told reporters.
