Mohammed Shahabuddin | |
|---|---|
মোহাম্মদ সাহাবুদ্দিন[a] | |
 Official portrait, 2023 | |
| 16thPresident of Bangladesh | |
| Assumed office 24 April 2023 | |
| Prime Minister | |
| Preceded by | Mohammad Abdul Hamid |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1949-12-10)10 December 1949 (age 76) |
| Nationality | Bangladeshi |
| Party | Independent |
| Other political affiliations | Awami League (1971 – 2025) East Pakistan Awami League (1967 – 1971) |
| Spouse | |
| Children | Arshad Adnan |
| Residence | Bangabhaban |
| Alma mater |
|
| Signature | .png) |
| Nickname | Chuppu[1] |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Bangladesh |
| Branch/service | Mujib Bahini |
| Battles/wars | Bangladesh Liberation War |
Mohammed Shahabuddin[b] (born 10 December 1949) is a Bangladeshi jurist, journalist, civil servant and politician who has served as the 17th and currentpresident of Bangladesh since 2023.[2] He was elected unopposed in the2023 presidential election as the nominee of therulingAwami League. Prior to his presidency, Shahabuddin served as a district and sessions judge and a commissioner of theAnti-Corruption Commission from 2011 to 2016.[3]
Shahabuddin was born on 10 December 1949 in the Jubilee Tank area in Shivrampur ofSadar Upazila ofPabna District in erstwhileEast Bengal,Dominion of Pakistan (present-dayBangladesh).[4] His parents were Sharfuddin Ansari and Khairunnessa.[5]
Shahabuddin went to Pabna's Purbatan Gandhi School and later was admitted to Radhanagar Majumdar Academy at fourth grade where he passedSSC examination in 1966.[2] He then passedHSC andbachelor's fromGovt. Edward College, Pabna in 1968 and 1972 respectively.[6] He then obtained master's in psychology from theUniversity of Rajshahi in 1974, and thenLLB from Shahid Aminuddin Law College in 1975.[2]
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Shahabuddin was a student leader of theAwami League during the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was the general secretary of thePabna Edward College unit of theChhatra League, and president of thePabna District Chhatra League andJubo League. He was the Pabna District convenor of the Shadhin Bangla Chhatra Shongram Parishad.[7] He participated in the Liberation War as a freedom fighter. He was the joint secretary of theBangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League (BAKSAL) of the district unit and publicity secretary of the Awami League district unit. He was imprisoned after theassassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975 for three years.
In 1982, Shahabuddin joined as a Munsef (Assistant Judge) of theJudicial cadre in theBangladesh Civil Service (BCS). He was finally promoted to the post of District and Sessions Judge, the highest position of the Bangladesh Judicial Service. He was elected to serve as General Secretary of theBangladesh Judicial Service Association in 1995 and 1996.
Shahabuddin was appointed by theMinistry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs to serve as a coordinator in the trial to prosecute the assassins ofSheikh Mujibur Rahman. He served as Election Commissioner in the 2022 National Council of Bangladesh Awami League.[8]
In February 2023, Shahabuddin resigned from the board of directors ofIslami Bank Bangladesh Limited after being elected president of Bangladesh, a position he held since 2017.[9]
 | This section needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(December 2024) |
Shahabuddin was nominated by the Awami League Parliamentary Party as their candidate forPresident of Bangladesh.[10] On 12 February 2023, he submitted his application to the Chief Election Commissioner and the Presidential Election Officer at theElection Commission for thepresidential election, the only candidate to do so.[11] Shahabuddin then held a tête-à-tête with Prime MinisterSheikh Hasina atGanabhaban.[12] His nomination was welcomed by the oppositionJatiya Party, while theBangladesh Nationalist Party expressed their disinterest.[13] On 13 February 2023, he was officially elected as the country's 22nd president as he was unopposed. The result was declared by theChief Election CommissionerKazi Habibul Awal.[14][15]
Shahabuddin was sworn in as the 22nd President of Bangladesh in a ceremony at theBangabhaban on 24 April 2023.[16] Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury administered the oath. Prime MinisterSheikh Hasina, Chief JusticeHasan Foez Siddique,Sheikh Rehana, cabinet members, and other guests attended the state ceremony. After the swearing-in ceremony, Shahabuddin and outgoing presidentMohammad Abdul Hamid officially switched their seats as part of the ceremony of changing the charge of the office. Shahabuddin and SpeakerShirin Sharmin Chaudhury signed the oath documents of the office.[17]
In December 2023, Shahabuddin vetoed the Labour Bill 2023 which was passed by the Parliament and sent it for reconsideration.[18][19]
On 5 August 2024, theChief of the Army Staff, GeneralWaker-uz-Zaman announced the resignation of Prime MinisterSheikh Hasina following theNon-cooperation movement (2024).[20][21] President Shahabuddin addressed the nation in 5 August 2024 and stated that Hasina has resigned.[22][23] However he later stated that "he had heard Sheikh Hasina resigned from the post of prime minister, but he had no documentary evidence to support this".[24][25]
He immediately started the process of meeting with political leaders from around the country to discuss the formation of an interim government.[26] He also dissolved the parliament[27] and ordered the release of former Prime MinisterKhaleda Zia from house arrest.[28]
On 6 August, Shahabuddin, as Commander-in-Chief of theBangladesh Armed Forces, issued a major reshuffle of theBangladesh Army, which included the demotion or discharging of several Awami League-aligned officers, including Major GeneralZiaul Ahsan.[29]Nasimul Gani was appointed Secretary of the Public Department of the President's Office.[30]
On 8 August, Shahabuddin swore in Nobel laureateMuhammad Yunus asChief Adviser along with members of hisinterim government at theBangabhaban.[31]
On 10 August, following the resignation of Chief JusticeObaidul Hassan, President Shahabuddin appointedSyed Refaat Ahmed as Chief Justice.[32]
An ordinance issued on 13 November 2025 to implement theJuly Charter.[33] This order calls for a2026 Bangladeshi constitutional referendum so that people can agree or disagree the proposed reforms. Voters will be asked whether they agree with the July National Charter and its reform plans. The key proposals include creating acaretaker government and an independent Election Commission, making a two-chamber parliament, limiting the prime minister's term, strengthening the president's powers and judicial independence, and increasing women's representation in parliament.[34]
In October 2024, during a conversation withManab Zamin's chief editor,[35] he stated that
I tried [to collect the resignation letter] many times but failed. Maybe she did not get the time. 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,[36]
This triggered a demand for his resignation.[37] However, Shahabuddin stated that Sheikh Hasina's resignation issue is a settled matter and urges all not to create controversy.[38]
Since November 1972, Shahabuddin has been married toRebecca Sultana, a former joint secretary to thegovernment of Bangladesh.[39][40] She also served as the faculty member ofPrimeasia University[41] and the founding chairperson of Friends for Children Organization.[39] Together they have a son, Arshad Adnan, who produced several Bangladeshi films.[42][43]
In his honour, a park built by the Pabna Municipality in 2020 was named "Bir Muktijoddha Mohammad Sahabuddin Chuppu Amusement Park".[44]
Footnotes
Citations
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | President of Bangladesh 2023– | Succeeded by |
Media from Commons
Quotations from Wikiquote
Data from Wikidata
