In a startling interview that has reignited political debate across Bangladesh, President Mohammed Shahabuddin has spoken publicly for the first time about what he described as 18 months of enforced confinement and systematic marginalisation during the interim government’s tenure.

Speaking from Bangabhaban, Shahabuddin said the period felt like a deliberate attempt to render the presidency irrelevant. “I was reduced to a silent spectator,” he said, claiming that his constitutional authority was steadily dismantled while efforts were made to push the country toward instability. He referred to the experience as a sustained “storm” aimed at creating uncertainty at the highest level of the state.

The President alleged that official channels connecting him to the public were deliberately cut off, leaving him unable to communicate even on ceremonial occasions. According to him, state institutions ignored his directives, while his public presence was quietly erased from official publications and national commemorations. “It was as if I no longer existed,” he remarked, describing the presidency as intentionally paralysed.

Recalling the violent unrest of October 2024, Shahabuddin said the situation took a frightening turn when crowds attempted to breach the presidential compound. He claimed the chaos was orchestrated, alleging that paid groups were used to manufacture scenes of disorder. “What I saw was a performance designed for cameras,” he said, adding that despite the pressure, he refused to step aside to avoid a constitutional breakdown.

In a surprising turn, the President credited the leadership of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party for playing a decisive role in preventing his removal. He specifically acknowledged Tarique Rahman, saying the party’s insistence on following constitutional procedures blocked what he described as an unlawful attempt to unseat him. “The constitution survived because some lines were not crossed,” Shahabuddin stated.

Looking ahead, the President struck a defiant tone, saying the alleged conspiracy against him ultimately failed due to his resolve and the support of the armed forces during the height of the unrest. As Bangladesh moves toward its next electoral phase, his remarks offer a rare and troubling glimpse into the power struggles that unfolded behind the scenes, casting the presidency not as a ceremonial office, but as a battleground for the nation’s constitutional future.