President Mohammed Shahabuddin is set to resign next week on health grounds, according to sources close to the president who spoke to TIMES of Bangladesh.
Contacted by TIMES, President Shahabuddin did not deny the possibility of his resignation but declined to provide further details over the phone.
A source close to the president said he is expected to resign by 31 July and move to his Gulshan residence afterwards.
Under the constitution, if the president resigns, Speaker of Parliament Hafizuddin Ahmed will assume presidential duties until a new president is elected.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin took office as the country’s 22nd president on 24 April 2023. He was elected unopposed on 13 February 2023. Under Article 50 of the constitution, the president’s term is five years, meaning his tenure was scheduled to end on 23 April 2028.
Under normal circumstances, more than one year and eight months of his term would still have remained.
Although health reasons have been cited for his decision, TIMES spoke to at least three ministers and senior BNP leaders to understand the circumstances behind the move. None of them was willing to comment directly.
However, two senior ministers hinted that some changes could take place within the next week.
An official at Bangabhaban, speaking on condition of anonymity, told TIMES that the president is currently unwell. He recently received neurological treatment at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka on two occasions.
The doctors have advised him to seek advanced medical treatment, the official said. He is likely to travel to Singapore early next month for further treatment.
Meanwhile, political discussions have intensified over possible candidates for the presidency.
Sources within the BNP said the party’s policymakers have been discussing several names. Among those being considered are BNP Secretary General and Local Government Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani.
However, no senior BNP leader was willing to provide any details in advance.
If the presidential post falls vacant, the process of electing a new president will be carried out under Articles 48 and 123 of the Constitution and the Presidential Election Act 1991.
The Election Commission will first announce the schedule for the presidential election. The process will then include the submission of nomination papers, scrutiny, disposal of objections and withdrawal of candidacies.
If only one valid candidate remains, that candidate will be declared elected unopposed. If there are multiple valid candidates, the new president will be elected through a vote by members of parliament.
