Last Updated on February 23, 2026 9:19 pm by INDIAN AWAAZ
Zakir Hossain from Dhaka
Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin has levelled serious allegations against former interim government chief adviser Muhammad Yunus, accusing him of repeatedly violating constitutional provisions, bypassing the presidency, and issuing what he described as “unnecessary” ordinances during his tenure.
In a detailed interview with Bangla daily ‘Kaler Kantho’ at Bangabhaban (the official residence of the President of Bangladesh) on Friday night (February 20), the President said that although some ordinances may have been justified due to immediate exigencies, many lacked constitutional necessity. He alleged that Yunus failed to comply with the constitutional requirement mandating that the chief adviser brief the President after returning from official foreign visits.
“According to the Constitution, whenever the chief adviser travels abroad, upon return, he is required to meet the President and brief him about the outcomes of the visit. He must also inform the President in writing about the discussions held, agreements reached and the nature of engagements undertaken,” Shahabuddin said. “Perhaps he travelled abroad 14 to 15 times. Not once did he inform me. Not once did he come to see me,” he added.
The President also claimed that there were attempts from within the interim government to remove him from office. He said he received unwavering support from the armed forces during that period.
“They told me only one thing: ‘Your Excellency, you are the supreme commander of the armed forces. Your defeat would mean the defeat of the entire armed forces. We will prevent that at any cost.’ In the end, they did exactly that. They came to me at different times and boosted my morale,” he said.
Shahabuddin further alleged that an initiative was taken to unconstitutionally replace him with a former chief justice. According to him, an adviser from the interim government held an hour-long meeting with the former judge to persuade him to assume the presidency.
“I have no hesitation in saying today that the interim government conspired to unconstitutionally install a former chief justice in my place. This move happened,” he said.
However, the plan failed as the judge reportedly refused. “He clearly stated, ‘He is the president; he is constitutionally above everyone. I cannot occupy that position unconstitutionally,’” Shahabuddin said.
Recalling October 22, 2024, when Bangabhaban was surrounded by protesters demanding his resignation, the President described the night as “nightmarish”.
“Bangabhaban was besieged. This party, that party, mancha, okiya: so many platforms created overnight! These were the same types of people in different forums under different names. Where did they get so much money?” he questioned.
“That night was nightmarish for me. Floating people arrived from all sides on pushcarts and vans via the flyover. They wanted to loot Bangabhaban just like Ganabhaban. We were inside. We had nowhere to flee, right? The army controlled the situation very firmly,” he said.
He also said that NCP chief Nahid Islam had called him around midnight, saying: “We have heard the news; they are not our people. I have spoken with the chief adviser. We are trying to disperse them.”
The President claimed that during the crisis, the top leadership of the BNP stood firmly by him. “I can state unequivocally that the BNP leadership stood beside me and expressed their commitment to preserving constitutional continuity,” he said, adding that he gradually came to see BNP chairman Tarique Rahman as “deeply sincere and cordial”. Maintaining that he remained resolute throughout the crisis, Shahabuddin said numerous conspiracies to oust him had failed.
“I do not know if anyone else had the strength to endure the storm that passed over me,” he remarked. “I said, ‘Let my blood be spilt in Bangabhaban if it must. I will be part of another history. But I will maintain constitutional continuity.’ It was God’s will and my determination.”