Deputy speaker to preside over parliament as speaker stands in for president

Speaker Hafiz Uddin says he took over as acting president immediately after accepting Shahabuddin's resignation

With Mohammed Shahabuddin's resignation taking effect, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad has assumed the president's constitutional duties, while the Deputy Speaker Kayser Kamal takes charge of parliament.

Speaking at a press briefing at the Parliament Secretariat on Friday, Hafiz said Shahabuddin submitted his resignation letter to him after 5pm.

"Under Article 54 of the Constitution, I have assumed the responsibilities of the president," he said, adding that he had accepted the resignation and instructed the Parliament Secretariat to preserve it and complete the administrative formalities.

Explaining the arrangement, Hafiz said the Constitution provides for such a transition.

"When I took the oath as speaker, I also took the oath to serve as acting president if required. Likewise, when the deputy speaker took office, his oath provided that he would perform the speaker's duties whenever the chair falls vacant."

Hafiz said Shahabuddin resigned on health grounds.

The outgoing president's resignation letter cited heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and kidney complications.

The letter also said he had undergone bypass surgery and was recently diagnosed with autonomic neuropathy, a condition that causes him to lose consciousness intermittently.

Under Article 54, Hafiz will perform the president's constitutional functions until a new head of state is elected and sworn in.

During that period, the deputy speaker will discharge the speaker's responsibilities in parliament.