President Mohammed Shahabuddin has stated that if the ruling BNP wants him to continue his duties, he will stay; otherwise, he is prepared to "step down honorably" of his own accord.
The President made these remarks during an interview with the daily Kaler Kantho at Bangabhaban on Friday night (February 20). The final part of the interview was published today, following the release of the first segment yesterday.
Addressing reports in foreign media suggesting he no longer wished to remain in office after the presidential election, he clarified that his comments had been misinterpreted.
"Those statements need to be understood in the context they were made," he said.
The Fall of the Awami League Government
President Shahabuddin recounted the events of August 5, 2024, noting that the movement against the Awami League government turned into a massive public uprising that caught everyone off guard.
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"When protesters were heading toward Ganabhaban, I was informed that the Prime Minister might arrive at Bangabhaban at any moment. At noon, I was told she was preparing to come. Before that, we had no inkling of what was about to happen. However, when her arrival was confirmed and a helicopter was readied, we grasped the gravity of the situation," he recalled.
The President continued: "Security personnel here took their positions. Around 12:30 PM, I was told she was not coming. Shortly after, we heard she had left the country. Within 30 to 40 minutes, the entire landscape changed rapidly."
The Formation of the Interim Government
The President detailed the hours following the government's collapse. He mentioned that Chief of Army Staff General Waker-uz-Zaman briefed him by phone around 3:00 PM before addressing the nation on television.
"The Army, Navy, and Air Force chiefs then came to Bangabhaban. We sat for two to three hours discussing the next steps. It was decided that leaders of all political parties would be called," Shahabuddin said. Following a meeting at Army Headquarters, political leaders and representatives from the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement arrived at Bangabhaban for a meeting presided over by the President.
According to the President, three proposals were initially considered: a Caretaker Government, an All-Party or National Government, and an Interim Government.
"Our wise politicians decided that an Interim Government should be formed to avoid the connotations of previous regimes. My responsibility was to address and reassure the nation, while the structure of the government was left to the political leaders and the military to finalize. Professor Asif Nazrul then updated the press, and I delivered my speech to the nation at 11:00 PM," he concluded.
