President Shahabuddin’s resignation should clear the way for electing someone widely acceptable

The resignation of Mohammed Shahabuddin, the 22nd president of Bangladesh, has brought another chapter to a close in the country’s prolonged political transition that began with the July uprising, followed by the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government, the formation of the interim government, and finally a fair and largely participatory election that returned the BNP to power. Despite the controversies surrounding him during this period, it must be acknowledged that Shahabuddin, by and large, discharged his constitutional responsibilities, whether willingly or otherwise. That he has now been allowed a dignified exit, despite calls from some quarters for his impeachment, comes as a relief to many.

At a time when the country has been struggling with inflation, an energy crisis, floods, and a measles outbreak, his resignation helps avoid an unnecessary political spectacle. It also opens the way for a less time-consuming constitutional process to elect a new president with no ties to the ousted regime. A government seeking to project stability is naturally more likely to favour such an outcome, a view reflected in remarks by senior BNP leaders. Referring to Shahabuddin, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, who assumed the role of acting president under the constitution, said: “Although he was elected during the tenure of the mafia government, he has always expressed support and respect for the new government currently elected by the votes of the people.” Meanwhile, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said Shahabuddin “deserves praise for the important role he played from August 5 to 8, 2024, before the interim government was formed.”

However, he did not receive a similarly cordial farewell from parties in the opposition alliance. While Jamaat-e-Islami refrained from offering any positive remarks, it also stopped short of demanding Shahabuddin’s arrest, unlike the NCP. Under the law, any individual may be investigated and brought to justice if there are specific criminal charges or allegations of corruption against them. Holding high office does not place anyone above the law. At the same time, association with a political party, even one that has been banned, does not automatically make a person a criminal. That would amount to political retribution rather than justice. Political parties that emerged from the July uprising are expected to reject such a culture.

Reports suggest that the BNP has already begun considering nominees for the presidency. As the Election Commission prepares to announce the election schedule, all political parties should extend their cooperation so that MPs can vote freely and uphold the reform aspirations of the uprising. Although the president’s role is largely ceremonial, it remains essential to elect a figure with broad acceptability across the political spectrum. Shahabuddin’s more than three years in office, spanning one of the most turbulent periods in the country’s history, underscore why broad political acceptability matters even for a ceremonial head of state.

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