Former Bangladesh President Shahabuddin to Leave Official Residence After Resignation

Former Bangladeshi President Mohammad Shahabuddin is expected to leave the presidential residence, Bangabhaban, on Sunday, a day after resigning from office, and relocate to his private residence in the capital's Gulshan neighborhood, according to his personal assistant.

The resignation brings Shahabuddin's presidency to an end nearly 21 months before his five-year term was due to expire in April 2028. In recent months, he had faced increasing political criticism, while the National Citizen Party (NCP) publicly called for his arrest.

"He resigned yesterday. He will leave Bangabhaban around noon on Sunday and move to his private residence in Gulshan," Shahabuddin's personal assistant, Md. Sagar Hossain, told Daily Waadaa. He added that the former president's personal belongings had already been transferred to the apartment.

Officials at Bangabhaban said the relocation process began on Wednesday, when Shahabuddin's household items were moved to his Gulshan residence in preparation for his departure.

Shahabuddin was elected unopposed with the support of the Awami League and was sworn in as Bangladesh's 22nd president in April 2023.

Speculation over his resignation first surfaced on Wednesday after Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury met with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. According to reports, senior leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) conveyed a message encouraging Shahabuddin to resign, while discussions also took place within the ruling party regarding a potential successor. However, neither the government nor the BNP publicly demanded his resignation.

On Thursday, Shahabuddin met senior officials at Bangabhaban and instructed staff to prepare for his departure from the presidential residence, according to officials familiar with the matter.

Later that day, he formally submitted his resignation letter to the Speaker of Parliament, citing health reasons for stepping down.

A lawyer by profession, Shahabuddin previously served as a member of the advisory council of the now-banned Awami League before assuming the presidency.