Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin has resigned from office, citing deteriorating health as the reason for his decision, according to a statement issued by the presidency on Friday.
The 76-year-old, who assumed the largely ceremonial role in April 2023, served during a turbulent period marked by political unrest following the 2024 student-led uprising that forced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to flee to India.
In a statement released through his press secretary, Shahabuddin revealed that doctors recently diagnosed him with Autonomic Neuropathy, a condition that occasionally causes him to lose consciousness.
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“Recent medical examinations have diagnosed me with a condition known as Autonomic Neuropathy. Due to this condition, I occasionally experience momentary loss of consciousness,” he said.
A spokesperson for Bangabhaban, the official presidential residence, confirmed that representatives from the president’s office had delivered his resignation letter to the national parliament.
Under Bangladesh’s Constitution, Parliamentary Speaker Hafizuddin Ahmed will assume the role of Acting President until lawmakers elect a new head of state.
Shahabuddin’s departure means former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina no longer has allies in the country’s highest offices ahead of her reported plans to return in about five months. Her Awami League party remains banned, while many of its leaders and supporters have either been detained or gone into hiding since the 2024 uprising that ended her administration.
Although the president serves as the country’s head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces, executive authority in Bangladesh is exercised by the prime minister and the cabinet. Until a new president is chosen, the parliamentary speaker will carry out the constitutional responsibilities of the office.
