‘Felt humiliated by Yunus govt’: Bangladesh President Shahabuddin plans to resign after February 2026 polls

Bangladesh President Shahabuddin to resign after February 2026 polls

Bangladeshi President Mohammed Shahabuddin has announced plans to resign midway through his five-year term following the parliamentary elections scheduled for February 12, 2026.

In an exclusive WhatsApp interview with Reuters from his official residence in Dhaka, the 75-year-old leader said he felt “humiliated” by the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.

Shahabuddin, who was elected unopposed in 2023 as the Awami League’s nominee, has largely held a ceremonial position, with executive powers resting with the prime minister and cabinet.

However, his role gained prominence after student-led protests in August 2024 forced long-time Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to flee to New Delhi, leaving Shahabuddin as the last constitutional authority following parliament’s dissolution.

“I am keen to leave. I am interested to go out,” Shahabuddin said. “Until elections are held, I should continue… I am upholding my position because of the constitutionally held presidency.”

The president alleged that Yunus had not met him for nearly seven months, his press department was removed, and, in September, his portraits were taken down from Bangladeshi embassies worldwide.

“There was the portrait of the president, picture of the president in all consulates, embassies and high commissions, and this has been eliminated suddenly in one night,” he said.

“A wrong message goes to the people that perhaps the president is going to be eliminated. I felt very much humiliated.” Shahabuddin added that he wrote to Yunus about the portraits but received no response. “My voice has been stifled,” he said.

Shahabuddin remains in regular contact with Army Chief General Waker-uz-Zaman, who assured him he has no intention of seizing power. Despite Bangladesh’s history of military involvement in politics, Zaman has expressed commitment to restoring democratic governance.

The president noted that while some student protesters had initially called for his resignation, no political party had requested it in recent months. He also declined to comment on whether Sheikh Hasina had attempted to contact him following her departure, emphasizing his independent stance since taking office.

Elections to be held in Bangladesh 

Bangladesh is set to hold its first general elections since Hasina’s ouster on February 12, 2026. Voting will take place for all 300 parliamentary seats alongside a referendum on the country’s “July Charter,” which aims to reform executive powers and strengthen judicial independence.

Opinion polls suggest the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, and the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami are likely frontrunners. The Awami League, Shahabuddin’s former party, has been barred from contesting.

Shahabuddin stressed that while he intends to resign after the elections, he would ultimately follow the incoming government’s decision. “If they tell me they plan to choose their own president, I will step aside,” he said, highlighting the transitional nature of his tenure.

This development underscores growing tensions within Bangladesh’s interim government and raises questions about the future role of the presidency during the country’s political transition.