Lungi, wheelchair, and a ticket to Bangkok: The dramatic 3 am escape of former Bangladesh President

File photo of former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina meeting the then Bangladesh President Mohammad Abdul Hamid.

In a dramatic turn of events that underscores the deepening political crisis in Bangladesh, former President Mohammad Abdul Hamid has reportedly fled the country and taken refuge in Thailand—slipping out quietly in the dead of night, clad in a lungi and escorted in a wheelchair to avoid public glare. Once the ceremonial head of state and a respected Awami League stalwart, Hamid’s sudden exit is emblematic of the crumbling political establishment he once represented.

His departure comes amid an extraordinary upheaval following the collapse of the Awami League-led government, which had dominated Bangladeshi politics for over a decade. Following a wave of massive anti-government protests and the subsequent installation of a Nobel laureate-led interim administration, the Awami League now stands outlawed, its top brass scattered, jailed, or in hiding. The once-unthinkable idea of senior party figures facing public ire, legal prosecution, and forced exile is now unfolding in real time—and Hamid is only the latest in a growing list.

Bangladesh’s Election Commission has cancelled the registration of Awami League -the former ruling party of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina – preventing it from participating in the next national election, which is expected to be held by June next year.

The decision on Monday came hours after the country’s interim government headed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus issued an official notification banning the Awami League party and its affiliated bodies from conducting activities online and elsewhere.

Mohammad Abdul Hamid served as the President of Bangladesh from 2013 to 2023, becoming the country's longest-serving head of state. A veteran politician affiliated with the Awami League, he previously held positions such as Speaker of the National Parliament and Deputy Speaker. His tenure was marked by efforts to uphold parliamentary democracy, although critics have pointed to his close alignment with the ruling party's leadership.

After the ouster of Sheikh Hasina-led government in August last year, Hamid was named an accused in a murder case filed at Kishoreganj Sadar police station. The case also implicates Sheikh Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and daughter Saima Wazed Putul. He is also being investigated for the actions taken against protesters during the students-led agitation last year.

Hamid is said to gave boarded a Thai Airways flight from Dhaka International Airport at 3 am on Thursday and left the country. The surprising fact about his exit was that he was on a wheelchair and dressed in a lungi.

When questioned about why he was permitted to leave the country, an airport official told Dhaka Post, “Under Articles 34 and 102 of the Constitution, a Bangladeshi citizen cannot be barred from travelling unless a court has explicitly imposed a restriction. We received no such directive. There was also no request or application from the police to detain or arrest him in connection with any case.”

Hamid’s dramatic and silent exit from the country left the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government red-faced as it faced questions from different quarters, with leaders of last year’s protests issuing ultimatums to the authorities.

The government rushed to damage control and formed a high-level committee headed by Education Adviser Prof CR Abrar to investigate the case and submit a report within 15 days.

Additionally, three officials have been suspended pending an investigation: an Additional Superintendent of Police from the airport immigration unit, a Special Branch officer, and the investigating officer in the Kishoreganj Sadar case in which Hamid is named as a co-accused.

The political upheaval has also impacted other senior figures within the Awami League. Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India in August 2024 following the violent protests. Other prominent leaders, including Assauduzamman Khan Jamal and Hasan Mahmud, were detained while attempting to flee the country. Many party members have gone into hiding or are facing legal challenges, leaving the party in a state of disarray.