Bangladeshi President Mohammed Shahabuddin administers oath-taking ceremony of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus as the country’s head of the interim government in Bangladesh at the Bangabhaban, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, August 8, 2024. (Photo: Reuters/File)In an extraordinary charge against the former interim government led by Prof Mohammad Yunus, Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin has alleged that there was a “plot” to remove him through “unconstitutional means”, but the defence forces and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) did not support the move.In an interview to Kaler Kantho, one of Bangladesh’s Bangla dailies, Shahabuddin also accused Yunus of not allowing him to travel abroad, and not informing about his (Yunus’s) foreign visits either.“Essentially, under pressure from certain leaders of the mass uprising, steps were taken to remove me. Political parties discussed the matter at length. Even the interim government decided that I could only be removed if the political parties so desired… At one point, there was a risk that a majority may form against me, or that psychological pressure would force me to resign. However, senior BNP leaders assured me of their support and opposition to any unconstitutional removal. Ultimately, the initiative failed because of the BNP and its allies,” he said.“There was even a plot to bring in a former Chief Justice to replace me through unconstitutional means. An adviser met him for hours, but the judge refused, stating he could not assume the presidency in such a manner. His firmness foiled that attempt,” he said.“The BNP’s assurances helped, as did the full support of the Armed Forces. They told me that as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, my defeat would mean their defeat. They would not allow any unconstitutional act. Diplomatic circles were also opposed to my removal through unlawful means. That, too, was a source of strength,” he said.Accusing Yunus of not informing him about his foreign visits, Shahabuddin said: “I received no call from Dr Yunus during that crisis, nor did I seek one. He did not consult me, even though constitutionally he was required to brief me after foreign visits. He travelled abroad 14 or 15 times and did not inform me once, either orally or in writing.”Referring to the country’s trade deal with the US, he said: “Even regarding the recent agreement with the United States before the election, I was not informed. That is a constitutional obligation.”Story continues below this adPointing to the strained ties with Yunus, he said: “The process of forming the government began at my initiative. Yet afterwards, he did not coordinate with me. He never visited me even once. I was completely sidelined.”“Two of my foreign visits — one to Kosovo and another to Qatar — were blocked. In the case of Qatar, a draft letter was prepared stating that I was too busy to attend. I returned it with a question mark and formally protested the discourteous conduct of the Foreign Ministry. There was no reply… It seemed the government did not want my name to appear anywhere. Even in national commemorative publications, my message and photograph were omitted. My portrait was removed from Bangladesh missions abroad overnight — breaking long-standing practice. I considered that perhaps the first step towards my removal,” he said.Shahabuddin “Chuppu”, as he is known in Bangladesh’s political circles, was appointed President in 2023 by then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. A political lightweight but a card-carrying member of the Awami League since his youth, he was a judge in a lower court and was later appointed to the Anti-Corruption Commission.After Hasina’s regime collapsed on August 5, 2004 and she fled the country, Shahabuddin was also under pressure to quit, but his resignation would have triggered a constitutional crisis, and Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-uz-Zaman urged him to stay.Story continues below this adSources said there was a plot by some of the elements behind the protests to create a Constitutional crisis, that would have enabled the interim government led by Yunus to re-write the Constitution and hold on to power by including these elements. According to sources in Dhaka, the BNP and the Army saw through the plot and acted with restraint and maturity, letting the Awami League-appointed President stay on, so that the Constitution was not subverted in the garb of bringing in stability.With the newly elected BNP government likely to name a President of its choice, Shahabuddin is now seen to be on his way out.In the interview to Kaler Kantho, the President also praised the BNP chief and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. “I can say without hesitation that even in those difficult times, the top leadership of the BNP stood by me. They clearly expressed their commitment to maintaining constitutional continuity. I had many curiosities about BNP chairperson Tarique Rahman, but I gradually realised that he is a very sincere person. He was so cordial. During my difficult time, the BNP’s cooperation was 100 per cent.”Shubhajit Roy, Diplomatic Editor at The Indian Express, has been a journalist for more than 25 years now. Roy joined The Indian Express in October 2003 and has been reporting on foreign affairs for more than 17 years now. Based in Delhi, he has also led the National government and political bureau at The Indian Express in Delhi — a team of reporters who cover the national government and politics for the newspaper. He has got the Ramnath Goenka Journalism award for Excellence in Journalism ‘2016. He got this award for his coverage of the Holey Bakery attack in Dhaka and its aftermath. He also got the IIMCAA Award for the Journalist of the Year, 2022, (Jury’s special mention) for his coverage of the fall of Kabul in August 2021 — he was one of the few Indian journalists in Kabul and the only mainstream newspaper to have covered the Taliban’s capture of power in mid-August, 2021. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Bangladesh