Bangladesh’s President, Mohammed Shahabuddin, has resigned from office, citing deteriorating health that he said has made it impossible for him to continue carrying out the responsibilities of the presidency.
The 76-year-old submitted his resignation letter to the Speaker of Parliament on Friday, confirming that worsening physical and mental health had forced him to step down before the completion of his five-year term, which was due to end in 2028.
In his resignation letter, Shahabuddin said recent medical examinations diagnosed him with autonomic neuropathy, a condition that occasionally causes him to lose consciousness. He also disclosed that he suffers from heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and kidney complications, and has previously undergone heart bypass surgery.
Shahabuddin, who assumed office in April 2023 with the backing of the Awami League, was regarded as a close ally of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Following Hasina’s removal from power during a student-led uprising in 2024, the president faced growing political pressure from groups that questioned his continued stay in office because of his ties to the former administration.
Under Bangladesh’s Constitution, the Speaker of Parliament will perform the duties of the president until a new head of state is elected. Although the president serves as the country’s commander-in-chief, executive authority in Bangladesh rests with the prime minister and the cabinet.
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