Questions and discussions frequently arose regarding whether the president—who was appointed during the Awami League regime—would remain in office under the interim administration and the subsequently elected BNP government. Ultimately, his decision to step down came just over five months after the BNP assumed office.
During the interim government's tenure, the BNP backed Md. Shahabuddin's continuation in the presidency, citing the necessity of preserving constitutional continuity. Although demands for his removal were raised repeatedly during that period, he retained his position primarily due to the BNP's firm stance.
Questions persisted over whether Md. Shahabuddin would stay on following the BNP's victory in the 2026 national election, but his continuation in office was visibly sustained. A seemingly cordial relationship even appeared to develop between the president and the newly formed BNP administration.
In an interview with a national daily within ten days of the BNP taking office, Shahabuddin remarked, "I've been doing quite well for about a week." In that interview, he stated that the BNP and its top leadership had stood by him during challenging times and described BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman as a very sincere individual.
However, political analysts suggest that a rift recently developed between him and the BNP government. Sources within the President’s Office indicate that a message advising him to resign ultimately originated from the high command of the BNP.
Controversy Over Political Identity
Md. Shahabuddin was sworn in as the 22nd President of Bangladesh on April 24, 2023. Earlier that year, on February 12, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader officially introduced Md. Shahabuddin as the party's presidential candidate during a press briefing at the Election Commission office.
At the time, the President's official website noted that during his student life, he served as the president of the Pabna District Chhatra League and later as the president of the Pabna District Jubo League in 1974. Following the assassination of Bangladesh's founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975, he was incarcerated for three years under martial law.
According to the Press Information Department (PID) website, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman nominated him as the joint secretary for the Pabna district unit of the newly formed BAKSAL (Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League) that same year. His official resume also indicates that he was elected publicity secretary of the Pabna District Awami League in 1980.
Several Awami League leaders acknowledged that his allegiance to the party and its political ideology was a primary consideration in his presidential nomination. However, these strong partisan ties prompted criticism and skepticism from various quarters regarding whether he could discharge his presidential duties with strict impartiality.
Legal Controversy
Legal controversies also emerged following his presidential nomination. Md. Shahabuddin had served as the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited from 2017 to 2023. Prior to that, he served as a Commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) from 2011 to 2016.
Debate arose over whether an individual who had held an ACC post could subsequently assume an "office of profit." Under the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, retired ACC commissioners are barred from being appointed to any office of profit in the service of the republic. This sparked legal questions over whether the presidency constituted an office of profit. In March 2023, the High Court dismissed two writ petitions challenging the validity of his presidential election.
Previously, in response to a 1996 writ petition filed when former Chief Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed was appointed president, the High Court ruled that the office of the President does not constitute an office of profit.
The Controversy Over Sheikh Hasina's Resignation
Following the fall of the Awami League government during the 2024 mass uprising, contradictory statements by the President regarding the resignation letter of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina triggered widespread political debate.
On the day Sheikh Hasina departed the country, the President announced in an address to the nation that "Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has submitted her resignation letter to the President, and I have accepted it." However, several months later in an exclusive interview, he claimed that he possessed no documentary proof or official copy of her resignation letter.
This assertion generated significant nationwide controversy, particularly as leaked audio recordings and party affiliates maintained at the time that Sheikh Hasina had not officially resigned. Given that the interim government had been formed under extraordinary constitutional circumstances, the statement further complicated the political environment.
In October 2024, the then-Law Adviser Asif Nazrul and leaders of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement strongly condemned the President's remarks. Protests and rallies demanding his immediate resignation broke out at Dhaka University and other locations, with student leaders issuing an ultimatum for his removal.
Supporters of the interim government and opponents of the Awami League voiced intense criticism on social media, demanding his departure. Bangabhaban subsequently issued a press release stating that the President urged all parties not to create fresh controversy over a settled matter. The episode also created noticeable friction between student uprising leaders and the interim administration.
Tensions with the Interim Government
Discussions surrounding Md. Shahabuddin’s resignation had been ongoing since the tenure of the interim government. In an interview with international news agency Reuters on December 11, 2025, he revealed plans to resign midway through his term following the parliamentary elections in February.
The report noted that he felt "humiliated" under the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus and was keen to step down. Several details in the interview highlighted underlying strains in his relationship with the interim administration, including then-Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus refraining from meeting him for nearly seven months, the removal of the President’s press wing, and the removal of his official portrait from Bangladeshi embassies worldwide in September.
Despite writing to Yunus regarding the removal of the presidential portrait from foreign consulates, embassies, and high commissions, no corrective action was taken, leading to claims that his voice was being suppressed. Although he held a personal desire to step down at the time, he noted that he would allow the incoming elected government to decide his future. Ultimately, his resignation materialized during the tenure of the subsequent BNP governme
