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Bangladesh’s President Mohammed Shahabuddin has resigned, citing worsening health and an inability to continue carrying out the duties of his office.
Shahabuddin confirmed his resignation in a phone call with AFP on Friday, ending speculation that he planned to step down before the end of his term in 2028.
“Yes, I have resigned,” the 76-year-old president said, without giving further details.
In a resignation letter to the Speaker of Parliament, Shahabuddin said his declining physical and mental health made it impossible for him to continue in office.
“Due to worsening physical and mental incapacity, it is no longer possible for me to properly discharge the responsibilities of an important constitutional office such as the presidency,” the letter stated.
Shahabuddin, popularly known as “Chuppu,” was elected president by Parliament in 2023 with the backing of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League.
Following the student-led uprising that removed Hasina from power in 2024, there were growing calls for Shahabuddin to also leave office because of his close ties to the former leader. He was also accused of speaking with Hasina by phone while receiving medical treatment in London in May, an allegation he denied.
Before the resignation was confirmed, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said on Thursday that the government had not received any official resignation letter from the president.
Under Bangladesh’s Constitution, a president must submit a resignation letter to the Speaker of Parliament before stepping down.
