'I Was A Palace Prisoner': Bangladesh President Shahabuddin Breaks Silence On 18-Month Plot To Topple Him

In a bombshell interview top to Kaler Kantho that has sent shockwaves through the nation’s political terrain, Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin has broken his long-standing silence, describing his past 18 months under the interim government as a period of harrowing "palace imprisonment."

Speaking from Bangabhaban, the President detailed a systematic campaign to isolate him, strip him of his constitutional powers and orchestrate his illegal removal from office. He characterised the period as a relentless "storm" designed to create a constitutional vacuum and plunge the country into permanent chaos.

Isolation and institutional sabotage

The president levelled serious allegations against the interim administration, claiming they effectively "paralysed" the presidency. According to Shahabuddin, his communication with the public was intentionally severed.

The Press Wing was dismantled and he was barred from issuing even routine congratulatory messages to the national cricket team. Most notably, he revealed that his official messages and photographs were scrubbed from state supplements on national holidays—a move he described as a deliberate attempt to erase his presence from the public eye.

He further alleged that top bureaucrats, including the cabinet and principle secretaries, ignored his directives, treating the head of state as a "disabled" figurehead.

The night Bangabhaban nearly fell

Recalling the violent protests of October 2024, the president described a "nightmare" scenario where mobs attempted to storm the presidential palace, mirroring the looting of Gana Bhaban. He alleged that the protesters were "hired" actors and "mercenaries" funded by mysterious sources to create a spectacle of instability.

Shahabuddin recounted watching through security feeds as protesters used sound grenades and staged injuries for cameras to blackmail the administration. He maintained that despite the immense pressure and the threat of bloodshed, he remained "unwavering" in his resolve to protect the constitutional continuity of the country.

Unlikely allies and political betrayals

In perhaps the most surprising revelation of the interview, the president credited the senior leadership of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) for his political survival. While elements within the interim government and student-led movements pushed for his immediate ouster, Shahabuddin praised BNP chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and the party’s leadership for standing by the constitution.

He noted that while two opposing factions fought over his removal, the BNP’s insistence on legal procedure prevented an unconstitutional "toppling" of the presidency.

A defiant stance on the future

Despite the alleged attempts to "uproot" him, President Shahabuddin expressed a newfound sense of relief and strength. He asserted that no conspiracy succeeded because of his steadfastness and the protection of the armed forces during the height of the unrest.

As the nation transitions toward a new electoral phase, the president’s testimony paints a grim picture of the internal power struggles that defined the interim period, framing himself not as a passive observer, but as a besieged guardian of the state's legal framework.

Published on: Monday, February 23, 2026, 12:23 PM IST