No documentary evidence of Hasina’s resignation as B’desh PM: President

Dhaka: Bangladesh’s President Mohammed Shahabuddin has said that he does not have any documentary evidence of Sheikh Hasina resigning as prime minister before she fled the country in August amidst student-led mass protests.

Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, 84, became Bangladesh’s interim government’s Chief Adviser on August 8 after Prime Minister Hasina fled to India on August 5.

President Shahabuddin said he heard that Hasina had resigned as prime minister before she fled Bangladesh, but he does not have documentary evidence, the Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported

on Monday, quoting excerpts from his interview with Bangla daily Manab Zamin.

Despite numerous efforts, the president said, he had failed to find any documents. “Perhaps she did not have the time,” Shahabuddin said.

Narrating the events of August 5, he said that at around 10:30 am, a call came to

Bangabhaban from Hasina’s residence, informing him that Hasina would meet him.

“Hearing this, preparations began at Bangabhaban. Within an hour, another call came, saying she was not coming,” the president said.

“There was news of unrest everywhere...I asked my military secretary, General Adil (Major General Mohammad Adil Choudhury), to look into it. He also had no information. We were waiting and checking the TV scrolls.

There was no news anywhere. At one point, I heard that she (Hasina) had left the country without informing me. I am telling you the truth as it is.