In the midst of a rising political controversy, legal adviser Professor Asif Nazrul has accused President Md. Shahabuddin of dishonesty regarding former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation.

Nazrul argues that the President’s recent statements contradict his earlier announcements and violate his constitutional oath.

President Shahabuddin, in a recent interview with Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, the editor of Manabzamin, claimed he had no documentary evidence of Hasina’s resignation.

This statement directly opposes his declaration on August 5, when he stated that Hasina had submitted her resignation and that he had accepted it.

At a press conference on Monday, Nazrul asserted that the President's denial is outright false.

“The President's assertion that he did not receive Hasina’s resignation amounts to a breach of his oath,” he said, recalling that Shahabuddin had addressed the nation on August 5 at 11:20 PM, confirming Hasina’s resignation alongside military leaders.

Nazrul explained that following Hasina's resignation, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court was consulted under Article 106 of the Constitution to determine the next steps.

The then-Chief Justice and other judges provided an opinion acknowledging the resignation.

“Their statement began with: 'Given the current circumstances in the country, as the Prime Minister has resigned,' followed by further remarks,” Nazrul noted.

He also mentioned that his ministry had sent a note to the President’s office, supported by the Supreme Court’s opinion, to establish an interim government.

Nazrul displayed the note signed by the President, indicating that Shahabuddin had reviewed and accepted the recommendation before the interim government was formed.

“He clearly stated in his address that the Prime Minister had submitted her resignation and that he accepted it, as evidenced by subsequent actions assuring the nation of this fact,” Nazrul added.

Nazrul criticized the President for his contradictory statements, saying, “If the President now claims, nearly two and a half months later, that he did not receive Hasina’s resignation, it is self-contradictory and violates his oath. Such actions call into question his fitness to remain in office.”

He pointed out constitutional provisions allowing for the removal of a President found guilty of misconduct or incapacity.

Reactions from different quarters

The controversy has elicited responses from various political figures, including Hasnat Abdullah, coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.

Abdullah downplayed the significance of a resignation letter, asserting that Hasina’s removal rendered it irrelevant.

“Hasina has been ousted; an illegitimate government was toppled by the people through a mass uprising. There is no need for a resignation here,” he stated in a Facebook post.

Abdullah's comments were in reaction to President Shahabuddin’s remarks that, while he had heard about Hasina’s resignation, he had not received any official documentation.

“I tried to obtain the resignation letter several times but was unsuccessful. Perhaps she didn’t have time,” the President said in the interview with Chowdhury, published in Janatar Chokh.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has also joined the debate, contending that Hasina’s departure to India serves as evidence of her resignation.

BNP leader Hafizuddin Ahmed, speaking at a discussion in Dhaka, accused Shahabuddin of conspiring to mislead the public.

“She fled the country amid public outrage, and that alone proves her resignation,” Hafizuddin claimed.

He dismissed the need for official documentation, referring to a YouTube video showing Hasina’s signed resignation. “There is no requirement for an official resignation since she left with just 45 minutes' notice. This itself indicates her resignation,” he asserted.

Hafizuddin also mentioned that the government had canceled Hasina’s passport and that she has sought refuge in a neighboring country.

“What is the need for her resignation letter when she has already applied for asylum?” he questioned.

He criticized Shahabuddin’s assertions, warning of a “vested interest group” trying to manipulate public perception by falsely presenting Hasina as still the legitimate Prime Minister. “What could be more misleading than this?” he added.

President’s office clarifies

President Shahabuddin’s office on Monday evening however clarified that former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation, her departure from the country, the dissolution of Parliament, and the formation of an interim government are now settled matters,

The President has urged everyone to refrain from creating new controversies around these resolved issues that could destabilize or embarrass the interim government.

In a statement signed by the Deputy Press Secretary of the President's Office, Muhammad Shiplu Jaman, it was noted that the media campaign quoting the President on the issue of the former Prime Minister's resignation has created confusion among the public.

"The clear message from the esteemed President is that in the face of the students' and public's revolutionary movement, the resignation and departure of the Prime Minister, the dissolution of Parliament, and the constitutional validity of the current interim government have all been addressed in the Supreme Court's Appellate Division order of August 8, 2024, reflected in Special Reference No. 01/2024."

The statement further clarified that, in accordance with Article 106 of the Constitution, the President sought the opinion of the Supreme Court's Appellate Division on August 8, 2024, which provided this opinion.

The President has called upon everyone to avoid creating new disputes that could destabilize or embarrass the interim government regarding these settled issues.

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