After a few weeks of relative calmness in Bangladesh, protests by students have again erupted, this time against President Mohammed Shahabuddin. Hundreds of protestors attempted to break through security barriers in front of the Bangabhaban on Tuesday evening, in an apparent attempt to repeat the incidents of 5th August that forced PM Sheikh Hasina to flee the country. However, the protesters were chased away by police.
The new storm in Bangladesh is over the resignation letter of Sheikh Hasina, or rather, the apparent lack of it. This all started earlier this week when President Mohammed Shahabuddin said that he does not have the resignation letter of Sheikh Hasina. In an interview published on Sunday, the president said that while he had heard that Hasina has resigned, he does not have documentary proof for the same.
This contradicts his earlier statement that Sheikh Hasina has resigned, after which he had appointed the chief adviser and other advisers to run the interim govt. This U-turn over Hasina’s resignation letter has triggered protests against him, demanding his resignation. The interim govt has said that while no decision has been taken, the matter is under discussion. This means the govt may take steps to remove the president.
Sheikh Hasina had left the country on 5th August in a hurry, and she could not even record her planned speech farewell before departing. As the protestors were moving fast towards her residence, the army gave her just 45 minutes to pack up and leave the country to save her life.
In the interview the president said that on 5 August, there was a call from the prime minister’s office at 10:30 AM informing that Sheikh Hasina will visit the Bangabhaban to meet the president. But an hour later, there was another call came saying she wouldn’t come.
President Shahabuddin said that he was waiting for the PM, and he didn’t know what was happening. The president had heard that the PM had resigned, but he didn’t receive any letter. He said, “At one point, I heard she had left the country. She didn’t tell me anything. I just told you whatever is true. Anyway, when Army Chief General Waker came to the Bangabhaban, I tried to know if the prime minister resigned. He gave me the same answer: ‘I heard she resigned’.”
He said that he tried to collect the resignation letter but could not do. “May be she did not get time,” he said. “When things came under control, one day the cabinet secretary came to collect the copy of the resignation letter. I told him that I too am looking for it,” the president told Manab Zamin Chief Editor Matiur Rahman Chowdhury. The interview was published on “Janatar Chokh”, the political magazine of Manab Zamin.
However, it was reported at that time that Hasina went to the president’s house and tendered her resignation, before leaving for India. After her departure, the president had announced that she had resigned. President Mohammed Shahabuddin said in his address to the nation, “You know that prime minister Sheikh Hasina has submitted her resignation letter to the president and I have accepted it.”
After this, the president had appointed the chief advisor and other advisors to run the executive functions of the government, as there is no provision to form an interim govt in the constitution of Bangladesh.
But now, the president is saying that he does not have the resignation letter, and there is no official document showing that Sheikh Hasina resigned from the post. However, he added that the fact is that the PM has left the country. He said, “There is no room for debate in this regard anymore. The prime minister has left and that is the truth.”
Sheikh Hasina is not in Bangladesh, and she is not expected to return anytime soon. Elections will be held after some months in which Awami League will not be allowed to contest. Therefore, whether the resignation letter exists or not does not matter. However, there is a legal issue associated which could question the legality of the Md Yuns led advisory body.
The presence of the resignation is important to prove the legitimacy of the caretaker govt. If there is no resignation letter, this means officially Sheikh Hasina still the prime minister of Bangladesh. This makes the caretaker govt illegitimate. “Sheikh Hasina did not resign from her prime Minister post and she is still alive. Therefore, Yunus govt is illegal,” tweeted Taslima Nasrin, Bangladeshi author living in India.
Sheikh Hasina did not resign from her prime Minister post and she is still alive. Therefore,Yunus govt is illegal.
— taslima nasreen (@taslimanasreen) October 22, 2024
However, the president said that to be legally sure, he had taken the opinion of the Supreme Court before appointing the Chief Advisor. The Supreme Court on 8 August gave its opinion on the matter, saying that the president can appoint a chief adviser and other advisers of the interim government, to ensure smooth functioning of the executive.
Law adviser Asif Nazrul presented the court’s opinion in front of the media yesterday, in which the court stated that the prime minister had resigned and that the president had the power to appoint chief adviser and other advisers.
Therefore, the question is now less about the validity of the interim govt, and more about the president’s U-turn over the resignation letter. He is being asked to resign for creating confusion over the Sheikh Hasina’s resignation, which can enable some people to question the legitimacy of the interim govt.
Law advisor Asif Nazrul has already accused him of lying, saying that the president’s comments in this regard was akin to misconduct, and if he maintains this position, the government should reconsider his position. He said, “If you contradict something you have said in front of the whole nation, then that is akin to misconduct. Then the question arises if you have the mental capacity to serve as the president. These questions may arise … you have created the scope for that.”
Later in the day, the president’s office issued a statement urging everyone to refraining from creating a controversy over a settled issue.
The interim govt has not taken a decision on removing the president yet, Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said today. “We will inform you of any developments regarding the matter,” the press secretary told the media.
On the other hand, Information and Broadcasting Adviser Nahid Islam said that the resignation of President Mohammed Sahabuddin is a political decision that will be made within a reasonable timeframe, based on public sentiment.
He said, “We formed the government on August 8 to ensure stability and security for the state. However, if the people feel that this setup needs to change, the government will certainly take that into consideration. The president’s resignation is not a legal issue but a political one.” However, he said that the decision will be made soon.
“We have received the message from the people that they no longer want this president. The government understands this, and a decision will be taken in due time,” he said.
