Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin says he plans to step down before the end of his five-year term, reports Reuters. The President says he feels deeply frustrated and humiliated by the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. His remarks have added new political tension ahead of the national election in February.
Shahabuddin, 75, was elected unopposed in 2023 as the Awami League’s nominee. In an interview, he told Reuters that he will leave office after the February polls. He made it clear that his relationship with the Yunus administration has sharply deteriorated. Since the student-led uprising of July–August 2024 forced Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her elected government out of power, the president — though mostly ceremonial — has been pushed aside in the turbulent transition.
A Presidency Turned into a Bystander
The presidency is usually a symbolic role. But after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Bangladesh on August 5, 2024 — without formally resigning — the president suddenly became the only remaining constitutional authority in the country. During the unrest, the parliament was dissolved outside the proper constitutional process, leaving a political vacuum.
Shahabuddin says the interim government has slowly stripped away the dignity of his office. He says Muhammad Yunus has not met him for almost seven months. His press wing was taken away. His official portraits were removed overnight from Bangladeshi embassies around the world.
He described the removal of portraits as a frightening signal.
“It looked as if the president himself was being erased,” he said. “I felt humiliated.”
Shahabuddin wrote to Yunus asking for action, but he says he received no reply. The interim government has not directly answered his allegations.
Turmoil Since 2024
Shahabuddin’s comments reflect the deeper political crisis that has gripped Bangladesh since mid-2024. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left the country without resigning after weeks of violent protests and an uprising led by Islamist groups backed by sections of the military.
Because the constitution has no roadmap for creating an interim authority, a coalition of student leaders, military officials, and Islamist groups selected Muhammad Yunus to lead a caretaker administration. He promised to restore order and prepare the country for elections. Yunus later said the transition was part of a “meticulous design” to remove the elected government.
The interim government says it plans to hold national elections in February 2026.
A Growing Divide
Shahabuddin’s frustration shows how divided Bangladesh’s governing structure has become under the interim setup. His remarks are also the strongest public criticism of Muhammad Yunus from a senior constitutional figure since the transition began.
Political analysts say his statements highlight deeper disagreements inside the post-Hasina power structure. Many critics argue that the interim government has not acted neutrally. Instead, they say it has sidelined those linked to the previous elected government — including the president.
Awami League supporters say Shahabuddin’s comments prove that the interim government is concentrating power and weakening important constitutional offices.
A Nation at a Crossroads
Shahabuddin’s decision to step down after the February election comes at a sensitive time. This will be the first national vote since the upheaval of 2024. Awami League leaders accuse the interim government of manipulating political conditions, blocking major political forces, and weakening democratic norms.
Observers say Bangladesh is entering a period of deep uncertainty. The president’s expected resignation underscores how unstable the political situation has become.
For Shahabuddin, months of humiliation and loss of authority have made staying in office impossible. His early departure will be an extraordinary moment in Bangladesh’s political history — and a clear sign of the severe tensions inside the current interim government.
