Bangladesh ICT receives complaints against ex-Presidents Shahabuddin, Hamid
Synopsis
Just two days after Mohammed Shahabuddin vacated the Bangladesh presidency — reportedly under pressure over a phone call with exiled Sheikh Hasina — two organisations have filed ICT complaints against him and former President M Abdul Hamid, alleging their silence during the 2024 protests amounted to complicity. The ICT chief prosecutor has confirmed the complaints are being forwarded to the Investigation Agency.
Key Takeaways
Bangladesh's ICT received complaints against former Presidents Mohammed Shahabuddin and M Abdul Hamid on 27 July 2025 .
Complaints were filed by the Bangladesh Azadi Party and the Rashtra Sanglap Forum , alleging links to violence during the 2024 protests .
ICT Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam confirmed the complaints are being forwarded to the Investigation Agency.
Shahabuddin resigned from the presidency last week, nearly two years before his term was due to end in April 2028 .
His resignation reportedly followed intelligence reports of a phone call with ousted PM Sheikh Hasina in May 2025 .
The move is part of the BNP -led government's broader crackdown on Awami League -linked figures.
Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) Chief Prosecutor's office has received formal complaints against former President Mohammed Shahabuddin — just two days after he stepped down from office — along with a separate complaint targeting another former President, M Abdul Hamid, according to local media reports. The submissions were made on Sunday, 27 July 2025, by two organisations: the Bangladesh Azadi Party and the Rashtra Sanglap Forum.
What the Complaints Allege
The Rashtra Sanglap Forum named Shahabuddin in its complaint, describing him as a 'close associate' of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and calling for a probe into his alleged role in violence linked to the 2024 protests. The Bangladesh Azadi Party submitted two separate complaints — one against Shahabuddin and another against former President M Abdul Hamid.
Hasinur Rahman, Convener of the Azadi Party, told journalists that both former presidents had remained silent during the alleged crimes connected to the 2024 demonstrations. He claimed their silence amounted to tacit approval of those acts, according to Bangladeshi daily Prothom Alo.
ICT Chief Prosecutor Confirms Receipt
ICT Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam confirmed the development to Bangladeshi newspaper The Daily Star, stating that his office had received two complaints — one from the Bangladesh Azadi Party and the other from the Rashtra Sanglap Forum. 'We have received two complaints and are about to send them to the Investigation Agency,' he said.
Shahabuddin's Resignation and Its Background
Shahabuddin, who assumed the presidency in April 2023, resigned last week — nearly two years before his tenure was due to end in April 2028. The Speaker of the national Parliament formally accepted his resignation letter, local media reported. Speaking to The Daily Star, Shahabuddin cited health reasons: 'I am suffering from various health complications. I have nothing more to add at this moment.'
His resignation, however, came amid reports that he had held a telephonic conversation with former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina while she was in London for medical treatment in May 2025, according to The Daily Star, citing sources. Intelligence agencies reportedly learned of the conversation, following which Shahabuddin was reportedly asked to step down. A senior Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader, however, cautioned that the phone call was not the sole reason behind the resignation, describing the matter as 'more complex.'
Broader Political Context
This development comes amid the BNP-led government's intensifying crackdown on figures associated with the Awami League, which was ousted following the July 2024 protests. Shahabuddin had been the only senior constitutional officeholder to remain in post since those demonstrations, making his tenure — and now his resignation — a focal point of sustained political debate in Bangladesh.
With the ICT complaints now forwarded to the Investigation Agency, the cases against both former presidents are expected to enter a formal scrutiny phase in the weeks ahead.
Point of View
Not just accountability. The allegation that presidential silence constitutes criminal complicity is legally untested and could set a far-reaching precedent. More telling is the reported intelligence intercept of a phone call with Hasina: if accurate, it indicates the interim establishment was monitoring the head of state. Bangladesh's democratic transition hinges on whether these proceedings are driven by evidence or by political expediency — and the ICT's handling of these early complaints will be the first real test of that distinction.
NationPress
27 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What complaints have been filed against former Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin?
Two organisations — the Bangladesh Azadi Party and the Rashtra Sanglap Forum — filed complaints with the ICT Chief Prosecutor's office on 27 July 2025, alleging Shahabuddin's complicity in violence during the 2024 protests. The Rashtra Sanglap Forum described him as a 'close associate' of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and called for a formal probe.
Who is M Abdul Hamid and why is he named in the complaints?
M Abdul Hamid is another former President of Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Azadi Party filed a separate complaint against him alongside Shahabuddin, alleging that his silence during the alleged crimes linked to the 2024 protests amounted to tacit approval of those acts.
Why did Mohammed Shahabuddin resign as President of Bangladesh?
Shahabuddin cited health complications as the official reason for his resignation. However, reports indicate that intelligence agencies learned of a phone conversation he had with former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during her London medical visit in May 2025, after which he was reportedly asked to step down. A senior BNP leader described the situation as 'more complex' than the phone call alone.
What is the Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunal?
The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) is a domestic war crimes and atrocities court in Bangladesh. It has historically been used to prosecute individuals accused of crimes during the 1971 Liberation War, but has more recently been invoked in connection with alleged violence during the 2024 protest movement.
What happens next with the ICT complaints against Shahabuddin and Hamid?
ICT Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam confirmed the complaints are being forwarded to the Investigation Agency for review. Whether formal charges will follow depends on the agency's findings, making the investigation phase the critical next step.
