Acting President Hafiz Uddin Ahmed

Photo: Collected

News Desk: Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed has assumed office as Acting President following the resignation of Mohammed Shahabuddin on health grounds.

He assumed the responsibilities of Acting President on Friday after accepting the President’s resignation letter in the afternoon.

At a press conference, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed said that the President resigned at 5:01 pm. “As per the rules, I accepted the President’s resignation letter, which has been preserved in the records of Parliament,” he said.

He further said that immediately after the President’s resignation, he assumed the responsibilities of the President in accordance with the Constitution.

Earlier, Mohammed Shahabuddin submitted his resignation letter to National Parliament Speaker Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed.

In his resignation letter, the President stated, “I am seriously ill. I am suffering from heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and kidney complications. I have undergone bypass surgery on my heart. Recently, a medical examination diagnosed me with a condition called autonomic neuropathy. Due to this condition, I occasionally lose consciousness for brief periods. Because of the severity of these illnesses and my physical and mental incapacity, I am unable to perform the responsibilities of such an important constitutional office as the President. I require long-term medical treatment.”

He further wrote, “Under these circumstances, in accordance with Article 50(3) of the Constitution, I hereby resign from the office of the President.”

According to Article 54 of the Constitution, the Speaker of Parliament will perform the duties of the President until a new President is elected and assumes office.

It may be noted that Mohammed Shahabuddin assumed office as the 22nd President of Bangladesh on April 24, 2023.