B'desh crisis: President resigns ahead of Hasina's return; reports of rift with govt

Bangladesh President Mohammad Shahabuddin resigned on Friday, nearly two years before the end of his five-year term, Reuters reported citing local media.His resignation comes amid reports that the government was no longer comfortable with his continuation in office because of his perceived ties to former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.Shahabuddin's resignation comes just days after Hasina, who has been living in India since being ousted in the student-led uprising in August 2024, announced that she plans to return to Bangladesh in December and surrender following her conviction by a war crimes tribunal.Under Bangladesh's Constitution, Parliament Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad will serve as interim president until a new head of state is elected.According to Reuters, the government had asked him to step down because of his longstanding association with Hasina after she announced plans to return to the country.