On the occasion of Armed Forces Day, the chiefs of Bangladesh's Army, Navy, and Air Force paid a courtesy call on President Mohammed Shahabuddin at Bangabhaban on Thursday evening. Army Chief General Wakar-uz-Zaman, Navy Chief Admiral M Nazmul Hassan, and Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan briefed the President on the activities and initiatives of their respective forces, including special programs organized for the commemorative day. President Shahabuddin extended his congratulations to all members of the armed forces and their families, highlighting their pivotal role in the nation's history. “The armed forces, formed through the Liberation War, are a symbol of our pride,” he said, adding that their efforts in United Nations peacekeeping missions continue to elevate Bangladesh's reputation on the global stage. He also acknowledged the military's critical role in maintaining law and order during key moments in the nation’s history, such as the aftermath of the anti-discrimination student movement. The President praised their ongoing commitment to safeguarding the country’s independence and sovereignty. Yunus, Khaleda exchange greetings at Senakunja Secretaries concerned to the President were also present during the meeting.    

The push to remove President Mohammed Shahabuddin by student leaders of the anti-discrimination movement appear to be faltering due to strong opposition from the BNP, which perceives it as a ploy to delay the national election. While Jamaat and various Islamic parties have expressed their support for the ouster of the President, BNP senior leaders said they have successfully garnered backing from most of its allies to oppose this initiative, which poses the risk of triggering a constitutional and political crisis. This division complicates efforts to reach a political consensus on the issue, as the interim government emphasises the necessity of such an agreement before making this crucial decision. The BNP leaders said they are also trying to persuade Jamaat to distance itself from the position of unseating the President, warning that any rift among those who removed Sheikh Hasina's government could create an opportunity for the deposed Awami League to make a political comeback. Govt expects a consensual decision over President Shahabuddin The BNP Standing Committee, the party's highest policy-making body, held a detailed discussion on Monday regarding the issue, following Saturday’s meeting with student leaders. They decided to stick to their position, viewing the attempt to oust the President as a plot to create a deep crisis that could disrupt a smooth democratic transition. Speaking to UNB, a BNP Standing Committee member, wishing anonymity, said, “We discussed the President’s removal at our meeting with great importance, as seven student leaders urged our party leaders on this issue. All members agreed to remain firm on our previous stance; we won’t budge an inch.” He said they believe there is a deep-rooted plot behind the move to remove the President, aimed at prolonging the interim government's tenure and jeopardising the democratic transition. The BNP leader expressed concern that if the government breaches the constitution by removing the President, it will create an opportunity to complicate the situation with unnecessary reforms and issues, which will ultimately delay the national election. Decision on President through political consensus: Rizwana Under such a situation, he mentioned that they spoke with most parties and alliances that joined the simultaneous movement with the BNP, convincing them not to support the move to remove the President. Besides, the BNP policymaker said they have decided to hold rallies in various divisions and districts next month to pressure the government into announcing a roadmap for the national election as soon as possible, in order to establish a democratic and elected government. BNP Standing Committee member Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku said their party believes the government's main agenda should be to restore democracy through elections, curb rising prices of essentials, and normalise the law and order situation. “But why has the issue of the President suddenly emerged?” he asked. He also said it would not be logical to make any decisions that disregard the constitution, as this could lead to a serious constitutional or political crisis in the country. President issue: BNP urges unity in talks with Dr Yunus Talking to UNB, Saiful Haque, general secretary of the Bangladesh-er Biplobi Workers Party and coordinator of Ganatantra Mancha, an alliance of the BNP, said that student leaders approached them seeking support for the removal of the President. “We told them it should be done with national consensus. We also emphasised that no steps should be taken that could create a political or constitutional crisis and undermine the unity of political parties,” he stated. Saiful said the interim government’s top priority should be to complete the necessary reforms related to the electoral process and take steps to hold the election. “If the President is ousted, we believe the entire process will become complicated, ultimately delaying the national election.”  “So, we think the government should not focus on the issue of removing the President, as the country’s situation is still unstable.” Nurul Haque Nur, president of Gono Odhikar Parishad, stated that their party also believes various crises could arise if the President is ousted at this moment. “The interim government is currently unable to manage the situation, so we’re not in favour of making any decisions regarding the removal of the President at this time.” Students demand president's resignation, ban on BCL from Shahid Minar rally Shahadat Hossain Selim, spokesperson for the 12-party alliance, another coalition of the BNP, stated that they also held a meeting with the student leaders regarding the President’s ouster. “We informed them if the President is overthrown without consensus among the political parties it would harm national unity and create constitutional and other crises.” He said they also conveyed to the students that this move would make the national election uncertain. He said they also conveyed to the students that if the President’s position becomes vacant now, it will make the national election uncertain. Fariduzzaman Farhad, chairman of the National People's Party (NPP) and coordinator of Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote, another alliance of the BNP, said they do not want the President should to be removed by force or through unconstitutional means. “It should only be done if there is a national consensus among the political parties. But we don’t see any such possibility, as most parties are against this move.” Earlier, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the interim government should operate within the constitutional framework avoiding any imprudent steps regarding the removal of the President.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin congratulated the Bangladesh national women's football team for winning the SAFF Championship title in Nepal on Wednesday. In a message, the President extended his heartfelt congratulations to the players, coaches, and all those involved with the Bangladesh women's football team. Bangladesh clinches second consecutive SAFF Women’s Championship with 2-1 win over Nepal He expressed optimism that this remarkable achievement will significantly contribute to the growth and development of football in Bangladesh. Bangladesh's women's football team made history securing their second consecutive South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Women's Championship title with a 2-1 victory over host nation Nepal at Kathmandu’s Dashrath Rangasala Stadium. Chief Adviser congratulates Bangladesh women for winning SAFF title In a repeat of their 2022 triumph, Bangladesh once again defeated Nepal in the final, cementing their unbeaten streak in the seven-nation tournament. The victorious Bangladesh team is scheduled to return home on Thursday at 2:15 pm.  

President Mohammed Shahabuddin on Monday urged Bosnia and Herzegovina and Azerbaijan to import international quality products from Bangladesh. The President made the urge when the newly appointed non-resident ambassadors of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Azerbaijan to Bangladesh presented credentials to the President.  President's press secretary Joynal Abedin briefed reporters after the meeting.  A contingent of the President's Guard Regiment gave them a guard of honour on their arrival. President welcomes envoys from Belarus, Estonia, and Uganda First, the new Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina Haris Hrle presented his credentials to the President. After that, newly appointed Ambassador of Azerbaijan Elchin Huseynli presented his credentials. Welcoming the new ambassadors, President Shahabuddin said that Bangladesh is interested in increasing mutual and multilateral relations in various fields including trade and investment with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Azerbaijan. He emphasized on increasing high-level contacts and exchanging visits of trade investment delegations with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Azerbaijan to exploit potential areas for development of Bangladesh's relations. At this time, the president  urged the new ambassadors to work to increase the import of various products of international quality including ready-made garments, medicines, ceramics, leather goods, besides hiring skilled and semi-skilled labor force from Bangladesh. During the meeting, the new ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina praised the role of Bangladeshi peacekeepers in establishing peace in his country from 1992 to 1995. President urges all regardless of religions, castes to work for prosperous Bangladesh Highlighting the development potential of Bangladesh, the newly appointed ambassador of Azerbaijan said that he will work to improve his country's relations with Bangladesh. The ambassadors sought full cooperation in fulfilling his duties. Secretary of the President's Office Nasimul Gani, Military Secretary Major General Mohammad Adil Chowdhury, President's Press Secretary Joynal Abedin and Foreign Secretary Md Jasim Uddin were present during the meeting.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin has called upon Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to facilitate the entry of more skilled and semi-skilled workers from Bangladesh into Malaysia. The President made the request during a meeting with the Malsysian PM at Bangabhaban on Friday. Welcoming Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim with flowers, President Shahabuddin expressed optimism that the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Malaysia will be further strengthened through this visit. The discussions covered a wide range of topics, including bilateral trade and investment, economic and technical cooperation, the labour market, and the Rohingya crisis. President seeks global support to solve Rohingya issue President Shahabuddin requested Malaysia’s support in implementing the economic reform programme of Bangladesh’s interim government and congratulated Prime Minister Anwar for assuming the chairmanship of Asean in 2025. He conveyed Bangladesh’s interest in becoming a sectoral dialogue partner of the regional bloc and sought Malaysia’s assistance in achieving this status. Highlighting Malaysia as Bangladesh’s second-largest destination for manpower export, the President reiterated his request for increased cooperation to enable more skilled manpower to work in Malaysia. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim acknowledged the significant contribution of Bangladeshi workers to Malaysia’s socio-economic development and emphasised the need for a transparent process in the recruitment of manpower. He assured Bangladesh of his support for the implementation of the interim government's reform agenda. During the meeting, the President’s foreign adviser, Tauhid Hossain, legal adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul, and other high-ranking officials were present. The Malaysian Prime Minister concluded his visit to Bangabhaban by signing the visitors’ book.

Hasnat Abdullah, one of the key coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, has demanded President Mohammed Shahabuddin be removed from his post. The coordinator made the demand in a post on his verified Facebook page and it has gone viral on social media. Read: Long March to Dambur Dam Friday, demands removal of one-way dams In the post he wrote, “The trial of Awami League, rewriting of the  constitution, change of Awami corrupt bureaucrats, cancellation of all illegal agreements made during Sheikh Hasina's regime and removal of Chuppu ( the President) from the post of the President have to be ensured.”

President Mohammed Shahabuddin on Thursday urged the international community including the European Union to come forward to solve the Rohingya issue. The President made this call when the newly appointed ambassadors of Norway and the European Union in Dhaka presented their credentials to the President. President's press secretary Joynal Abedin briefed reporters after the meeting. On arrival at Bangabhaban in the morning, a smart contingent of the Presidential guard regiment gave a guard of honor to the ambassadors. Newly appointed ambassadors of Sweden and Algeria present credentials to President First, the newly appointed Ambassador of Norway Hakon Arald Gulbrandsen presented his credential to the President while then new ambassador of the European Union Michael Miller presented his credential. Welcoming the new ambassador of Norway, President Shahabuddin said Norway has been providing development cooperation in various sectors including rural development, education, disaster management and good governance in Bangladesh for the last five decades. The President called upon Norway to assist the reform programme of the interim government of Bangladesh. Highlighting the bright prospects of Bangladesh's blue economy, the President urged Norwegian investors to invest in various sectors including deep-sea fishing, sea-food processing technology, and oil and gas. Later, during the meeting with the Ambassador of the European Union, the President said that the European Union is one of the most important development partners of Bangladesh. He said that the European Union has been providing comprehensive support for inclusive and sustainable development and poverty alleviation in Bangladesh for more than five decades. "As Bangladesh has been upgraded from the least developed to the developing country, the President called on the European Union to take steps to continue the duty-free quota facility for exports beyond 2029," he said. Foreign Affairs adviser gives 'sensitive' issue of president's citizenship status a wide berth Mentioning that Bangladesh is one of the countries affected by the adverse effects of climate change, the President said that Bangladesh and the European Union can work together to solve the problems linked to climate change. The President sought the co-operation of the ambassador to send skilled human resources from Bangladesh to various countries of the European Union. Appreciating the humanitarian assistance of the European Union for the Rohingyas , the President expressed hope that the United Nations, the European Union and other development partners will take effective initiatives for the safe and dignified repatriation of the Rohingyas. During the meeting, the new ambassadors of Norway and the European Union sought the full cooperation of the President in performing his duties in Bangladesh. The Ambassador of Norway said that his country is interested in supporting the development of the blue economy of Bangladesh. On the other hand, the ambassador of the European Union said that the EU has been supporting the socio-economic development of Bangladesh since the beginning. The ambassador said that this trend will continue in the future. Secretaries concerned to the president office were also present during the meeting.

Newly appointed ambassadors and high commissioners of seven countries to Bangladesh presented their credentials  to President Mohammed Shahabuddin at Bangabhaban on Wednesday. The new non-resident envoys are- High Commissioner of Botswana Gilbert Shimane Magole, Ambassador of Cambodia Koy Kuong, Ambassador of the Czech Republic Dr. Eliska Zigova, High Commissioner of Gambia Mustapha Jawara, Ambassador of Hungary Istvan Szabo, High Commissioner of Jamaica Jason K. Hall and Peggy Frantzen, ambassador of Luxembourg. President taking three-day retreat in Pabna President's press secretary Joynal Abedin briefed the reporter after the meeting. The president said Bangladesh attaches importance to developing bilateral ties with all countries of the world. Mentioning that massive development has been achieved in various sectors in the last one and a half decades, he said the current trade and investment situation of Bangladesh is very promising. President invites Sheikh Hasina to form her cabinet The president hoped that the new ambassadors would work with Bangladesh to explore the development potentials of their respective countries and increase mutual cooperation, including trade and investment. During the meeting, the envoys sought the President's full cooperation in fulfilling their assignments. The envoys also expressed their determination to work for enhancing the relations of their respective countries with Bangladesh. Take stern action against graft, reform financial sector: President tells newly elected MPs Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen and secretaries concerned to the president were present on the occasion. Earlier, on their arrival at Bangabhaban, in the morning, they were accorded a 'guard of honour' by a horse-mounted team of the Presidential Guard Regiment (PGR).

President Mohammed Shahabuddin on Sunday asked the national human rights commission to incorporate the influential personalities and opinion leaders in the process of establishing human rights. This effort of incorporating the influential personalities and opinion leaders like Imam, religious leaders, teachers and leeaders of different professionals will increase the human rights situation in Bangladesh in the large scale,  he said. The president made the statement while delivering his speech at the programme  of observing the International Human Rights Day at the Hotel Intercontinental in the capital. President Shahabuddin calls for vigilant anti-corruption efforts to foster development The programme hosted by National Human Rights Commission( NHRC) was held with the theme of 'freedom, equity and justice for all'. Pointing out that the scope  of work of NHRC is wide across the country, the President said that since its inception, the commission has been making efforts to preserve, develop and ensure human rights. One of the main steps in creating and establishing a human rights culture is to create awareness about human rights issues. "Increase in human rights awareness will pave the way for victims of human rights violations to seek redress," he said. He also directed the commission to elevate the people's involvement in all activities of mutual dialogue, meetings, seminars, workshops, education and promotion of co-operation in the protection of human rights. In order to develop  the human rights culture in Bangladesh, he said the commission should take necessary initiatives to increase research and publication, increase round-the-clock monitoring of human rights violations, create awareness on human rights issues and conduct advocacy activities. Envoys of Pakistan, Egypt, Vatican city and Sri Lanka present credentials to President Shahabuddin Urging to ensure the presence of the National Human Rights Commission wherever human rights violations occur in the country, the president said the commission  should stand by the oppressed and continue all efforts to punish the oppressors and become a symbol of trust and confidence to the exploited and oppressed. The president specifically requested the international community to ensure a permanent solution to all kinds of conflicts and stand by the persecuted and oppressed people, noting that all problems can be solved through dialogue, not war. "But sadly, it is true that the prevailing global human rights situation would distress any sane person. Thousands of people are dying every day in various ways, including wars, ethnic and sectarian riots, epidemics and natural disasters, thousands are being killed in Gaza, millions of peoples’  human rights are being violated,” he said. Criticising the silence of the world in this issue, he said many powerful countries are playing the role of silent spectators. Many countries and organisations are indulging in double standards in the name of human rights, he said. President seeks more Dutch investment in Bangladesh Pointing out that the issue of human rights should be considered universal and equal for all and no discrimination or partiality should be done, the president said, "I hope that wherever human rights are violated in the world, all countries, human rights organisations and human rights activists will raise their voices in protest regardless of party, religion and caste." . Law, Justice and Parliamentary  Affairs Minister  Anisul Haque and full-time member of National Human Rights Commission Salim Reza spoke in the programme while secretary of Law and Justice Department Golam Sarwar and Secretary of Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Department Mr. Md. Moinul Kabir were also present. Chairman of the NHRC Kamal Uddin Ahmed presided over the programme.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin today urged government employees to provide all-out efforts in implementing programs undertaken by the government for the welfare of the people. "You will discharge your duties abiding by rules, regulation and constitution of the country as all of you are public servants," he said. He said this while attending the graduation ceremony of the Defence Services Command and Staff Course (DSCSC). A total of 257 officers including 49 from 24 countries graduated through this ceremony. President Parade (Winter)-2023 held at BAF Academy "Always remember that democracy and development go together, " the president said. The president said that the government of Bangladesh has been committed to strengthening our Armed Forces. After independence, the Father of the Nation prioritized establishing a strong military and formulated the defense policy in 1974, he said. In conjunction with this, the government developed the “Forces Goal-2030’ to develop, expand, and modernize the Armed Forces. The proper function of the government overnment is to make it easy for the people to do good, and difficult for them to do evil, he said. Saying that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had a dream to improve the quality of life of the people, the president said all-out measures were taken by Bangabandhu to materialize those dreams. President Shahabuddin calls for upholding human rights, rule of law "Within three and a half years of independence, all the indicators of economy and development process were moving positively under the dynamic leadership of Bangabandhu," he also said. Mentioning the basis of stability as rule of law, assurance of personal freedom and respect for democratic rights, values and institutions, he said economic prosperity without freedom and freedom without economic prosperity cannot improve the quality of life. "In the absence of rule of law, society cannot ensure return for sacrifices of individuals in terms of savings, perseverance, creativity and entrepreneurship," he added. “The challenges of the 21st century are dynamic and multifaceted, ranging from conventional threats to non-traditional forms. I am confident that the rigorous training you have undergone here has equipped you with the skills and knowledge necessary to negotiate these complex challenges,” he said. Armed Forces Day: Chiefs of three services call on President Shahabuddin Calling DSCSC as a miniature of the global community, medium of bringing together military leaders from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives, he said the bonds forged here would foster goodwill. Commandant of Defence Services Command and Staff College, Major General Faizur Rahman, delivered the welcome speech.