Mohammed Shahabuddin, a former judge and member of Bangladesh’s ruling party, was appointed president of the country in a ceremony held Monday. According to the presidential palace, Shahabuddin, 73, fought in the 1971 war of independence against Pakistan and has fought corruption. He was sworn in as the 22nd president of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. Shahabuddin was elected by parliamentarians to a largely ceremonial post in February after the Awami League, the ruling party, nominated him as a candidate to replace the speaker of parliament, who was considered the favorite in the polls.
The new speaker succeeds Abdul Hamid, whose second term ended on Monday. Shahabuddin’s election comes at a time of intensifying protests against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government. The opposition, led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has staged a series of mass protests in recent months to demand Hasina’s ouster and the formation of an interim government to organize free and fair elections. Protesters accuse Hasina, who has been head of government since 2009, of having rigged the previous two elections. However, the opposition has failed to muster enough support to topple the government, suggesting that Hasina still enjoys broad popular support.
Shahabuddin’s appointment as president may be a way to further consolidate the ruling party’s power as the general elections scheduled for January 2024 approach. The primary role of the president in Bangladesh is ceremonial, although he has certain formal powers, such as the ability to nominate judges to the Supreme Court and other higher courts.