Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin resigned on Friday, citing serious health concerns, according to a statement issued by his office.
The 76-year-old has served as the country's largely ceremonial president since April 2023, a tenure that included the turbulent period following former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's departure to India after a student-led uprising in 2024.
In a statement released through his press secretary, Shahabuddin said recent medical examinations had diagnosed him with Autonomic Neuropathy.
"Recent medical examinations have diagnosed me with a condition known as Autonomic Neuropathy. Due to this condition, I occasionally experience momentary loss of consciousness," he said.
Shahabuddin's resignation leaves Hasina without any allies in high constitutional office ahead of her planned return in five months. Her Awami League party remains banned, while several of its leaders and workers have either been jailed or gone into hiding since the 2024 student-led uprising that brought down her government.
According to the statement, the Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad, Bangladesh's national parliament, will discharge the duties of the president until a successor is elected.
As Bangladesh's head of state, the president serves as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, although executive authority rests with the prime minister and the cabinet in the nation of around 173 million people.
Reuters had reported on Thursday that Shahabuddin, a former ally of Sheikh Hasina, was expected to resign on Friday.
