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Amid discussions surrounding the potential resignation of President Md. Shahabuddin, National Parliament Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed is cutting short his scheduled foreign trip and returning to the country on Friday (July 24). According to the constitution, the head of state must submit his resignation letter to the Speaker.
According to information from the Parliament Secretariat, he is scheduled to land at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 12:10 PM on Friday via a Thai Airways flight. The Speaker’s Private Secretary (PS), Rowshan Kabir, confirmed his return.
Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed had gone to Bangkok on July 19 for medical treatment. According to the original plan, he was supposed to return to Dhaka next Sunday (July 26). However, a special urgent message from a high level of the government requested him to advance his travel schedule and return to the country on July 24.
Article 50(3) of the country’s constitution states that the President may resign by writing and signing a letter addressed to the Speaker. Furthermore, as per the provisions of Article 54, if the office of the President becomes vacant or if the President is unable to perform his duties, the Speaker of the National Parliament shall discharge all duties as Acting President until a new President is elected.
According to this rule, if the office of the President becomes vacant, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed will temporarily assume the position. However, even if the Speaker takes charge temporarily, it is legally mandatory, under Article 123(1) of the constitution, to elect a new head of state by a vote of Members of Parliament within 90 days of the presidential office becoming vacant.
Previously, in 2002, following the resignation of former President A.Q.M. Badruddoza Chowdhury, the then Speaker of the Eighth National Parliament, the late Barrister Jamir Uddin Sircar, held the position of Acting President. He served in this capacity for a total of 78 days, from June 21 to September 6, 2002.
