President Mohammed Shahabuddin has resigned from office on health grounds. Following the acceptance of his resignation in accordance with the Constitution, Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed (Bir Bikram), has assumed the responsibilities of Acting President.

The announcement was made by the Speaker at a press conference held this Friday afternoon in the oath room of the Jatiya Sangsad Secretariat.

The Speaker said:

"In accordance with Article 50(3) of the Constitution of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, President Mohammed Shahabuddin submitted his signed letter of resignation to the Speaker at 5:01 p.m. on Friday. Upon accepting the resignation, I assumed the office of the President under Article 54 of the Constitution. At the same time, instructions have been issued to preserve the resignation letter in the records of the Jatiya Sangsad Secretariat and to complete the necessary administrative procedures."

He further stated that, in his resignation letter, the President explained that he had stepped down due to serious health complications. According to the letter, he has been suffering from heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and kidney-related complications. He previously underwent coronary bypass surgery, and recent medical examinations diagnosed him with autonomic neuropathy, a condition that causes him to lose consciousness intermittently. Owing to these physical complications and his resulting inability to discharge his constitutional responsibilities, together with the need for long-term medical treatment, he decided to resign from office.

Hafiz Uddin Ahmed said that, under the Constitution, the Speaker takes the oath to discharge the responsibilities of the Acting President, if required, at the time of assuming the office of Speaker. Likewise, if the office of the Speaker becomes vacant, the Deputy Speaker will perform the duties of the Speaker.

He added that there had been considerable public discussion regarding the President's resignation, but it is now clear that the resignation was entirely due to health reasons. He wished the former President a speedy recovery and good health.

Responding to questions from journalists, the Speaker said that a President may become ill and that the former President had clearly stated the reasons for his resignation in writing. Therefore, no additional medical certificate was required in this case. He expressed hope that the resignation would put an end to any uncertainty, confusion, or speculation surrounding the matter.

The Speaker also noted that the office of the President never remains vacant. In accordance with the Constitution, he accepted the resignation in his capacity as Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad and immediately assumed the responsibilities of the President.

Also present at the event were Chief Whip Md. Nurul Islam, Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaisar Kamal, and senior officials of the Jatiya Sangsad Secretariat.