Bangladesh Prez Shahabuddin Resigns Citing Health Concerns, Leaving Sheikh Hasina Without Key Ally

Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin formally resigned from office on Thursday, citing deteriorating health that he said had left him physically and mentally incapable of discharging his constitutional duties, in a development that leaves ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina without any remaining allies in a senior position of state.

In a resignation letter addressed to Speaker of Parliament Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, Shahabuddin, who was elected as Bangladesh's 22nd president on 24 April 2023, said he suffered from heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and kidney complications, and had undergone heart bypass surgery. He said recent medical examinations had also diagnosed him with a condition called Autonomic Neuropathy, which caused him to occasionally lose consciousness for short periods. "Due to the progression of these medical conditions and the resulting physical and mental incapacity, it is no longer possible for me to discharge the responsibilities of the highly important constitutional office of the President," he wrote.

In the letter, Shahabuddin defended his conduct during the political upheaval that followed the student-led uprising of August 2024, which forced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to flee to India. He said that in his capacity as president, he had sought the opinion of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court under Article 106 of the Constitution to navigate the resulting governance crisis, subsequently forming an interim government that went on to organise general elections. "Owing to my firm and constructive role, no constitutional breakdown occurred in the country," he said.

Speaker Ahmad to take over

Under Article 54 of Bangladesh's constitution, the Speaker of Parliament assumes the role of acting president whenever the office falls vacant, until a new head of state is elected. Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, who had cut short a visit to Thailand earlier this week in anticipation of the resignation, is now expected to take charge. The last person to serve as acting president while holding the speakership was Jamir Uddin Sircar during the Eighth Parliament.

Shahabuddin, 76, was elected unopposed in 2023 as the Awami League's nominee and had previously told Reuters in December that he intended to resign following the February election that brought Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to power. His departure leaves Hasina without allies in high office five months before her planned return. Hasina told Reuters this month that she and senior Awami League colleagues intended to return from exile around December and surrender to authorities. Her party has been banned in Bangladesh since the 2024 uprising, with many of its leaders jailed or in hiding.