Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin has resigned two years before the end of his five-year term, citing health reasons. The 76-year-old head of state announced his decision on Friday amid growing opposition demands for him to step down.

In a statement released by his press secretary, Shahabuddin said he has been diagnosed with autonomic neuropathy, causing occasional loss of consciousness. “I am seriously ill… therefore, I am unable to perform my duty of the constitutional post,” he wrote in a letter to Parliament Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed.

Ahmed accepted the resignation, according to the Associated Press. Under the constitution, a new president must be elected within 90 days. Until then, the speaker will perform presidential duties.

The resignation comes amid media reports that Shahabuddin spoke by phone with ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during a visit to the UK for medical treatment in May. The president denied the reports.

Shahabuddin has been president since April 2023. His term was to end in 2028. He oversaw the country during a volatile period after Hasina was ousted in August 2024 by youth protesters and until a caretaker government was formed.

Hasina is currently in exile in New Delhi and is expected to return to Bangladesh in December. Shahabuddin's resignation leaves her without allies in high office. However, the Bangladeshi presidency is largely ceremonial, with executive power resting with the prime minister and cabinet.

Source: www.aljazeera.com