Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin, 76, has resigned from his largely ceremonial post, citing serious health concerns, his office announced Friday. Shahabuddin stated in a release that recent medical examinations diagnosed him with Autonomic Neuropathy, a condition that causes occasional momentary loss of consciousness.
The duties of the president will be temporarily assumed by the speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad, the national parliament, until a new president is elected. Shahabuddin had held the position since April 2023.
As head of state, the president serves as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. However, executive power in Bangladesh rests with the prime minister and the cabinet in the predominantly Muslim nation of 173 million people. Shahabuddin's resignation comes at a politically sensitive time, following a student-led uprising in 2024 that led to the flight of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India and the subsequent banning of her Awami League party. Many party leaders and activists have been jailed or have gone into hiding.