Asif Nazrul questions Shahabuddin’s capacity to continue as President

Law Adviser Asif Nazrul has accused President Mohammed Shahabuddin of lying about not receiving former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation letter, claiming the statement violates his oath of office.

Nazrul made these remarks during a press briefing at the Secretariat on Monday, responding to questions from journalists about the president’s recent comments.

"The president’s claim that he did not receive Sheikh Hasina’s resignation letter is a lie and a violation of his oath," Nazrul said. He pointed out that Shahabuddin himself, during a national address on August 5, had said that the former prime minister had submitted her resignation, which he accepted in the presence of the three chiefs of the armed forces.

Nazrul further referenced an opinion issued by the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court in response to a request from the president under Article 106 of the Constitution, which allows the Supreme Court to provide advisory opinions. The first line of the opinion, reads: "In the current situation of the country, as the prime minister has resigned..."

The adviser stressed that the chief justice and judges of the Appellate Division had signed the opinion, and that the president had seen, received, and signed it as well.

Nazrul also questioned Shahabuddin’s mental capacity to continue as president. "The constitution states that if a president lacks physical or mental capacity, or commits serious misconduct, steps can be taken to remove them from office," he said. "Contradicting one’s own statements in front of the nation is akin to misconduct, raising questions about his mental capacity to serve."

He warned that if the president continues to stand by his statement, the interim government’s advisory council would convene to discuss his qualifications to remain in office.

The controversy arose after an interview with President Shahabuddin was published in Jonotar Chokh, a political magazine, where he claimed that while he had heard of Sheikh Hasina’s resignation, he had not received any official documents or evidence related to it. The interview was conducted by Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, Editor-in-Chief of the daily Manab Zamin, and was published last Saturday.