Bangladesh’s Law Minister Muhammad Asaduzzaman said that a thorough investigation will be conducted into the corruption allegations against former President Muhammad Shahabuddin, who recently stepped down from office.
With two years still left in his term, the 76-year-old Shahabuddin, a longtime supporter of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, resigned from his post last Friday, citing ill health.
Following this, Bangladesh Parliament Speaker Hafez Uddin Ahmed is serving as acting president for the next 90 days, in accordance with the country’s constitution. A new president must be elected within these 90 days.
In February 2023, Muhammad Shahabuddin, who was elected president by the previous parliament, was a participant in the 1971 war of independence and a former judge. Even after Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government was toppled by the student protests held in July-August 2024, Muhammad Shahabuddin continued to remain in the presidency as the only person elected by that government.
Meanwhile, a general election was held in Bangladesh last February, and Tariq Rahman took office as the new prime minister on behalf of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. The new government also requested India to extradite Sheikh Hasina, who faces the death penalty in Bangladesh.
In this situation, reports appeared in the media that Mohammad Shahabuddin had recently spoken by phone with Sheikh Hasina. Although Mohammad Shahabuddin firmly denied this, he resigned at a time when there was strong dissatisfaction among senior leaders of the ruling party over this issue.
Before assuming the presidency, Mohammad Shahabuddin had served as a commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission and as a director of a private bank. His activities during this period are now being brought under the scope of the government’s investigation.
Speaking to reporters on this, Law Minister Muhammad Asaduzzaman further said, “The government does not want to do injustice to any person. However, the corruption allegations reportedly made by Muhammad Shahabuddin before he assumed the presidency are now being seriously examined.
Based on the public’s demand, appropriate legal action will be taken after a full investigation into these allegations. Imposing a ban on his travel abroad falls within the jurisdiction of the Home Ministry. The legal basis of the demands made by political parties for his arrest will also be examined in detail,” he said.
