The Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, has called an urgent press conference. The press conference will be held at 5 p.m.
A press release sent by the assistant director of the public relations sub-branch of the Jatiya Sangsad secretariat said the press conference, following the receipt of the president’s resignation letter, would be held in the oath room of the Jatiya Sangsad.
The Speaker returned to Dhaka from Bangkok at midday on Friday. He had gone to Bangkok for a health check on July 19.
Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed spoke to journalists at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at about 12:15 p.m. In response to journalists’ questions, he said he knew nothing about the president’s resignation.
Answering one question, the Speaker said: “What the president will or will not do, I do not know. He is the country’s first citizen.”
Responding to journalists’ questions about the president’s resignation, the Speaker said: “I was out of the country. So who will or will not resign here, I do not know. I may find out now. If he resigns, he will do so to the Speaker. The Jatiya Sangsad will elect a new president within the next 90 days. That is parliamentary practice.”
Asked why he had cut his trip short, the Speaker said: “I have some personal work in Dhaka. And since my medical check-up finished yesterday, I have returned home.”
Asked about the Speaker taking over the responsibilities if the president resigns, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed said: “This is traditional — it is written in Bangladesh’s constitution. When the president resigns, the Speaker acts as acting president. The Jatiya Sangsad elects the president, which must be done within three months. That is parliament’s position.”
The Speaker went from Dhaka to Bangkok for treatment on July 19. He returned home two days ahead of the set time. The Speaker’s early return further intensified talk of Md Sahabuddin’s resignation from the presidency — because, by rule, the president submits his resignation letter to the Speaker, and the Speaker acts as president until a new one is elected.
President Md Sahabuddin’s resignation had been under discussion for several days. Various responsible sources said he might resign within a day or two.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report