Govt unaware of any decision by president to resign: Home minister
According to Salahuddin Ahmed, claims of President Mohammed Shahabuddin resigning are unconfirmed rumours without official verification.
Home Affairs Minister Salahuddin Ahmed today (23 July) said the government was not aware of President Mohammed Shahabuddin's decision to resign, terming media reports on the issue as "rumours".
"Rumours are rumours. If it becomes an actual event, we will see," the minister told reporters when asked about reports regarding the president's possible resignation.
When journalists noted that the matter had been reported in the media and was not merely speculation, Salahuddin replied, "Then you can ask the president."
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"There has been no initiative from the government on this issue, nor has the government made any statement about it. If the president intends to resign due to health or any other reason, that is a matter to ask him," he added.
Responding to a question about whether the president had spoken with former prime minister Sheikh Hasina while receiving medical treatment abroad, Salahuddin said he had no information on the matter.
Explaining the constitutional procedure, the home minister said that if the president decided to resign, he would have to submit a resignation letter to the Speaker of Parliament.
"After that, the matter will proceed in accordance with the Constitution. If the president resigns, the question of who will become the next president will be dealt with through the constitutional process," he said.
Media reports, citing sources, have surfaced saying President Shahabuddin is likely to resign soon.
A high-level government source told Prothom Alo that his departure would be a natural development. "It is only natural that he will not remain, whether today or tomorrow."
When asked why the issue had resurfaced, the source said the government had become dissatisfied with reports that the president had tried to re-establish old contacts. The source added that the government no longer considered it prudent to keep a pre-uprising figure in the country's highest constitutional office.
A source close to Bangabhaban said a decision could come within a day or two.
