Mohammed Shahabuddin has finally brought an end to months of speculation and back-channel manoeuvring by stepping down as president on Friday, with Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad becoming acting president.
Elected during the Awami League administration three years ago, Shahabuddin faced strong opposition stemming from the July 2024 mass uprising and repeated pressure to vacate the country’s highest state office.
Government sources said behind-the-scenes discussions among BNP policymakers over Shahabuddin’s future began after the party assumed office following the 12 February general election and eventually culminated in his resignation, offering a convenient face-saving exit for both sides.
Senior BNP leaders confirmed to TIMES of Bangladesh that the resignation followed an understanding between the two sides. The arrangement helped the government avoid political confrontation or a constitutional crisis while allowing a president elected during Sheikh Hasina’s tenure to leave with dignity rather than face impeachment.
Shahabuddin’s tenure had been difficult since he became the country’s 22nd president on 24 April 2023. On 5 August the following year, the Awami League government collapsed amid a mass uprising.
After ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country, Shahabuddin arranged the swearing-in of the interim government led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus in line with the Supreme Court’s opinion.
Demands later emerged for his removal, but the interim government backed away after BNP opposed the move. Shahabuddin referred to that episode in his resignation letter, writing, “Because of my firm and positive role, the country did not experience any constitutional catastrophe.”
He also said he had served with dedication, honesty and loyalty to the Constitution.
After receiving the resignation letter, Speaker Hafiz Uddin praised Shahabuddin, saying, “Although he was elected during the mafia government’s tenure, he has always shown support and respect for the new government elected by the people.”
The issue came to a head following remarks on Wednesday by expatriate journalist Zulkarnain Saer. Speculations spread further when the Speaker cut his medical trip to Thailand short.
At 4pm on Friday, Shahabuddin formally tendered his resignation under Article 50(3) of the Constitution.
The final hours were marked by political drama.
That morning, BNP Secretary General and LGRD Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir dismissed reports of the resignation as rumours.
After returning from Thailand at midday, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad said he had heard about the resignation like everyone else.
Yet at 3pm, just an hour before stepping down, Shahabuddin confirmed to TIMES of Bangladesh that the reports were true and that his decision was final.
Although admitting in private that the exit had been carefully negotiated, senior BNP leaders remained tight-lipped on the record.
BNP Standing Committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy said, “There was no pressure or no-confidence move from the BNP. The president resigned for personal reasons, citing serious illness. It was entirely his own decision.”
In his resignation letter, Shahabuddin cited autonomic neuropathy, a complex condition that sometimes causes him to lose consciousness.
Speaker Hafiz Uddin later said the president’s illness and physical and mental incapacity had made it impossible for him to continue performing the duties of such an important constitutional office and that he required long-term medical care.
After leaving Bangabhaban, Shahabuddin was admitted to the Combined Military Hospital amid reports that a new telephone line had been installed at his Gulshan residence.
Sources said the president had made his final decision on Thursday, but the constitutional handover had to await the Speaker’s return.
Another BNP Standing Committee member, requesting anonymity, told TIMES, “The BNP had no involvement in the president’s resignation.”
With about two years remaining of his five-year term, Shahabuddin’s presidency came to an early end.
Constitutional experts said a parliamentary majority seeking to replace the president essentially had two options: voluntary resignation or impeachment.
A negotiated resignation offered a smoother transition, allowing parliament to elect a successor without resorting to a contentious constitutional process.
Impeachment was theoretically within the BNP’s reach because of its two-thirds majority, but it remained a politically sensitive option.
In a parliamentary system where the presidency is largely ceremonial, impeachment is generally considered a last resort.
After the BNP assumed office, a Bangabhaban source indicated that any formal government request for Shahabuddin to step down would be considered. When contacted by TIMES at the time, the president described the matter as “sensitive” and declined to comment further.
Opinions within the BNP were divided. One faction favoured following convention, arguing that Shahabuddin should address the first session of the new parliament before stepping down. Another said newly sworn-in MPs should decide whether an Awami League-nominated president should be allowed to complete his term.
Senior party figures privately argued that securing his resignation through dialogue would be more politically acceptable than impeachment, which risked deepening political divisions and damaging the party’s image.
Others warned that forcing out a president with less than two years remaining could undermine the government’s pledge to introduce a different political culture.
Although largely ceremonial, the presidency retains constitutional and symbolic importance.
The president formally appoints the prime minister, administers oaths, performs other constitutional duties and serves as supreme commander of the armed forces.
For any government, having a president elected by a rival political camp can therefore remain an uncomfortable arrangement.
