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Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin has resigned from office, citing deteriorating physical and mental health, bringing an early end to his tenure as the country’s ceremonial head of state.
The 76-year-old president, popularly known as “Chuppu”, confirmed his resignation in a telephone conversation with AFP on Friday, ending days of speculation over his political future.
“Yes, I have resigned,” Shahabuddin said, without offering further details on his decision.
In a resignation letter addressed to the Speaker of Parliament and seen by AFP, the president said his worsening health had made it impossible for him to continue performing the constitutional responsibilities of his office.
“Due to worsening physical and mental incapacity, it is no longer possible for me to properly discharge the responsibilities of such an important constitutional office as the presidency,” the letter stated.
Shahabuddin was elected president by Parliament in 2023 with the backing of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League. Although the presidency is largely ceremonial under Bangladesh’s parliamentary system, his position came under increasing scrutiny following the political upheaval that forced Hasina from office during a student-led uprising in 2024.
His continued stay in office had attracted criticism from sections of the political class, who questioned his perceived closeness to the former prime minister. The controversy intensified after reports alleged that Shahabuddin spoke with Hasina by telephone while receiving medical treatment in London in May. The president denied the allegation.
The resignation comes amid a delicate political transition in Bangladesh, where the Bangladesh Nationalist Party currently leads the government following the collapse of the Awami League administration.
Speaking on Thursday, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said the government had not received any formal notice of the president’s resignation, stressing that the Constitution requires the president to submit a resignation letter to the Speaker of Parliament before it can take effect.
With Shahabuddin’s resignation now confirmed, Bangladesh is expected to begin the constitutional process of appointing a new president to serve the remainder of the current term, which was due to expire in 2028.
