Bangladesh’s President Mohammed Shahabuddin resigned today, July 24, citing serious health complications, ending days of speculation over his position. Speaker of the National Parliament Hafiz Uddin Ahmad confirmed the resignation at an emergency press briefing at 5:30pm and immediately assumed the responsibilities of acting president under Article 54 of the Constitution.
Shahabuddin submitted his signed resignation letter to the speaker at 5:01 PM in line with Article 50(3) of the Constitution. Announcing the news, Hafiz said he had accepted the letter and instructed that the matter be formally recorded and processed by the Parliament Secretariat.
“He has informed in writing that he is seriously ill and has resigned due to health reasons,” Hafiz said, adding that he had already taken an oath to serve as acting president if the need arose, at the same time he was sworn in as speaker.
In his resignation letter, Shahabuddin detailed a long list of medical conditions, including heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and kidney complications, and disclosed that he had undergone coronary artery bypass surgery. He said he has also been diagnosed with autonomic neuropathy, a condition that causes him to briefly lose consciousness.
“Due to these medical conditions and the resulting physical and mental incapacity, I am no longer able to discharge the responsibilities of the important constitutional office of the president. I require long-term medical treatment,” he wrote.
Speaking separately to a local outlet, Shahabuddin kept his comments brief. “It is already public knowledge. What’s the point of hearing it from me? I am sick, so it is done.”
What happens next
Under Article 54, the speaker will continue to discharge presidential duties until a new head of state is elected. Article 123(2) requires a new president to be elected within 90 days of the office becoming vacant, and under Article 48(1), the president is chosen by members of parliament, not by public vote.
The bigger picture
Shahabuddin’s exit comes amid reports that he spoke by phone with ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina during a medical trip to London this May. He travelled to London on May 9 and returned on May 18. Hasina has been living in exile in India since the Awami League government fell in August 2024.
Shahabuddin was sworn in as Bangladesh’s 22nd president on April 24, 2023, elected unopposed as the Awami League’s nominee after no rival candidates came forward. A freedom fighter and former district and sessions judge, he had deep roots in Awami League politics before his presidency, including serving on the party’s Advisory Council. The party’s activities remain banned in Bangladesh.
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