News of president’s resignation is fake, says law advisor

Ebrahim Khalil

Law Advisor Asif Nazrul says the posts circulating on Facebook about the resignation of President Mohammed Shahabuddin are fake.

The interim government leader took to his own Facebook page to label the post – which appears to come from an account carrying Nazrul’s name and likeness – to be ‘fake’.

On his own verified Facebook page, Nazrul wrote:

“Some misinformation is being spread using my name. The news that is spreading and uses my picture to state that the president has resigned is fake.”

The legal adviser had previously taken to the social media platform to notify people of the resignation of Chief Justice Obaidul Hasan on Saturday after demands for him to step down from the top post of the judiciary grew loud.

In a video message on Facebook on Saturday, Nazrul said: "Our chief justice resigned some time ago. His resignation letter has already reached the Ministry of Law.

“We will forward it to the president without delay for proper processing. And I would expect it to be done very quickly, within a few hours."

After Sheikh Hasina left the country on Aug 5 in the face of a student-led mass movement, the interim government was sworn in under the leadership of Muhammad Yunus on Aug 8.

President Shahabuddin administered the oath to the members of the interim government.

On Friday, a notification distributed the portfolios among the advisors to the interim government.

Nazrul, a professor at the Dhaka University Department of Law, became the legal adviser to this government.

Shahabuddin was sworn in on Apr 24, 2023, as the 22nd president of Bangladesh.