Former president Mohammed Shahabuddin is expected to move from Bangabhaban to his private home in Gulshan within the next two days, although police say they have yet to receive formal instructions regarding security arrangements for the relocation.
The former president is expected to move into Flat 502 of Green Villa, a residential building on Road 123 in Gulshan-1, according to officials familiar with the preparations.
The anticipated move has prompted increased activity by law enforcement and intelligence agencies around the building in recent days, residents said.
While security personnel have conducted reconnaissance in the area, the exact date and time of Shahabuddin’s relocation have not been officially confirmed.
Mohammad Sagar Hossain, assistant private secretary to the president, said Shahabuddin is likely to leave Bangabhaban between Sunday and Monday.
“He is still at Bangabhaban and is expected to move to his Gulshan home within that timeframe,” Sagar told reporters.
Md Mokhlesur Rahman, inspector (investigation) and acting officer-in-charge of Gulshan Police Station, said the police had not yet received any official directive regarding security deployment at the home
“We have heard that he may move in the coming days, but no formal instruction has been issued. We are monitoring the situation,” he said.
Mohammad Maksudur Rahman, deputy commissioner (Protection) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), said Shahabuddin would be entitled to security facilities as a former president.
However, he confirmed that no order had yet been issued to deploy security personnel at the Gulshan home.
Green Villa is a six-storey residential building near Gulshan-1. Shahabuddin owns two apartments on the sixth floor. He and his wife are expected to reside in Flat 502, while their son, Arshad Adnan, lives in the adjoining Flat 503 with his family.
The remaining apartments on the floor are owned by a Canada-based Bangladeshi and a foreign embassy official.
The building’s chief security guard, Md Mostafa Kamal, said personnel from Bangabhaban visited the apartment on Wednesday and Thursday to carry out renovation work ahead of the former president’s arrival.
“Sir and his wife also visited the apartment about a week ago to inspect the preparations. Even while serving as president, they used to visit the residence every few months,” Kamal said.
He added that before assuming office, Shahabuddin regularly went on morning walks accompanied by two associates and maintained a daily routine of reading multiple newspapers.
Residents of the building said a member of the Special Branch (SB) has been stationed on the premises in three shifts since Shahabuddin assumed the presidency on 24 April, 2023.
On Friday afternoon, two officials from Bangladesh Telecommunications Company Limited (BTCL), including Abdur Razzak, visited the apartment to install a new telephone connection, which they said had recently been activated.
