DHAKA, July 23: Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin is expected to resign on Friday, according to three sources cited by Reuters, in a move that comes amid mounting political pressure following former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s announcement that she plans to return from exile.
The sources said Shahabuddin, who was elected unopposed in 2023 as the nominee of Hasina’s Awami League, has already informed Prime Minister Tarique Rahman of his decision. A formal announcement is expected on Friday.
The development follows Sheikh Hasina’s recent statement that she intends to return to Bangladesh from India later this year to surrender to authorities after being sentenced to death in absentia by Bangladesh’s war crimes tribunal.
In November last year, the tribunal sentenced Hasina over allegations that she ordered a crackdown on the 2024 student-led uprising, during which nearly 1,400 people were reportedly killed. Hasina has denied all charges from exile.
Her planned return has intensified public pressure on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s government to remove remaining Awami League allies from key state institutions.
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Although the president serves as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, the office is largely ceremonial under Bangladesh’s constitution, with executive authority resting with the prime minister and cabinet.
President Shahabuddin’s position became particularly significant after the 2024 uprising, which forced Sheikh Hasina to leave Bangladesh for India.
According to the Reuters sources, Shahabuddin informed Prime Minister Rahman of his decision earlier this week. The sources requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.
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President Shahabuddin did not respond to requests for comment. However, he previously told Reuters that he intended to resign following the general election that brought Tarique Rahman to power.
Prime Minister Rahman’s office has not yet issued an official statement.
If Shahabuddin steps down, Parliament Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad is expected to serve as interim president until a permanent successor is elected, according to the sources.
Sheikh Hasina told Reuters earlier this month that she and senior Awami League leaders plan to return to Bangladesh around December to surrender and face legal proceedings.
