Bangladesh President Resigns for Health Reasons.. End of Last Ally of Sheikh Hasina in Power

24 July 2026 - 17:43 | Last updated 24 July 2026 - 17:43

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Mohammad Siddique

Bangladesh President Mohammad Shahabuddin announced his resignation on Friday, citing deteriorating health after being diagnosed with an autonomic nervous system disorder, a significant political development months before the scheduled return of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to the country.

The President's office said in a statement that Shahabuddin, 76, decided to step down after medical tests confirmed he has Autonomic Neuropathy, a disorder that can cause sudden loss of consciousness.

The outgoing president said in a statement released by the Presidential Secretariat: 'Recent medical tests have shown that I suffer from Autonomic Neuropathy, and due to this condition I occasionally experience temporary loss of consciousness, so I decided to resign from my post.'

A turbulent period

Shahabuddin assumed the post of President of Bangladesh in April 2023, a largely ceremonial position, but his tenure witnessed one of the most turbulent periods in the country's modern history, after the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government in 2024, following widespread student-led protests that ended with her fleeing to India.

Shahabuddin is considered politically close to Sheikh Hasina, making his resignation the end of the presence of her most prominent ally in sovereign positions, at a time when the Awami League, the party she led, remains banned, while a large number of its leaders and members face imprisonment or hiding since the fall of the government.

Who will assume the post temporarily?

According to the official statement, the Speaker of the Bangladesh Parliament will assume the duties of the President temporarily until a new president is elected, in accordance with the constitutional procedures in place in the country.

Powers of the President

Although the President holds the position of Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, executive power in Bangladesh remains with the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, while the President performs ceremonial and constitutional duties in the country of about 173 million people, one of the largest Muslim-majority nations in the world.

The resignation comes at a time when Bangladesh is experiencing a delicate political phase, with the continued repercussions of the crisis that followed the 2024 protests, and the political scene awaits the possible return of Sheikh Hasina in the coming months.