President Shahabuddin Likely to Resign, Sources Say

President Shahabuddin is likely to resign soon, according to multiple sources in Dhaka. He is the last top official still in place from before the July 2024 uprising. No final decision has been made on timing. Nor has a successor been named.

The reports surfaced across several outlets on Thursday. They describe pressure building for months. The presidency has become a political flashpoint. Its future now looks uncertain.

Why President Shahabuddin faces pressure

President Shahabuddin faces pressure tied to events after the 2024 uprising. Sources say he spoke by phone with former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. That call reportedly happened during a London medical visit in May. Hasina has lived in exile in India since July 2024.

Intelligence agencies later learned of the conversation, the sources claim. A message then reached the president suggesting he step down. These accounts remain unconfirmed by officials. They should be read with caution.

The president has signalled willingness to go before. In December he said he intended to step down midway through his term. He linked that to the planned February parliamentary election. He also spoke of feeling humiliated under the interim government.

Shahabuddin was sworn in as the country’s 22nd president in April 2023. He served during Hasina’s final stretch in power. His survival in office since the uprising has drawn steady scrutiny. Critics see him as a relic of the old order.

A resignation would carry real consequences. Succession rules would come into play at a tense moment. The interim government already faces heavy demands. Another transition adds strain.

Much still remains unsettled. The timing is unclear. The process is unclear. The successor is unclear. Uncertainty itself now shapes the politics.

The story sits against the unfinished business of last year’s revolt, as our piece on the uprising anniversary noted. The presidency may be its next chapter.

Watch for an official statement. It will settle what sources cannot.

Fact basis: Reporting from The Daily Star, The Business Standard and Prothom Alo, 23 July 2026.