President Mohammed Shahabuddin sparked widespread discussion and went viral on social media after concluding his speech at a government event with the slogan “Bangladesh Zindabad,” a trademark of the BNP. The remark, delivered on the morning of March 6 at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium during a program organized for National Jute Day 2026, has drawn mixed reactions and intense political analysis.
A video clip of the President’s speech quickly spread across social media platforms, prompting debates among the public and political activists. During the previous Awami League government, President Shahabuddin—who assumed office under that administration—consistently ended his public addresses with the slogan “Joy Bangla.”
However, following the dramatic political upheaval on August 5, 2024, which led to the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government, and the subsequent rise of a BNP-led administration under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, this marked the first public instance of him using “Bangladesh Zindabad.”
The event, organized by the Ministry of Textiles and Jute, saw the President as chief guest. Before delivering his speech, he inaugurated a nine-day fair on jute and diversified jute products at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy premises.
The shift in slogan comes after an 18-month period under the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus (from August 2024 to around February 2026), during which the President performed his duties but was rarely seen delivering speeches at state functions. This appearance at the Jute Day event was his first major public address following the assumption of office by the new BNP-led government.
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Political observers note that President Shahabuddin, whose term runs until 2028, appears keen to retain his position. In a recent interview with the Bengali daily Kaler Kantho, he praised BNP Chairperson and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman as a “very sincere person” with “cordial” behavior, and acknowledged the support from the army chief in maintaining constitutional continuity. He has been seen cordially interacting with Tarique Rahman at events, including the oath-taking ceremony on February 17 and the Pilkhana massacre anniversary on February 25.
Critics and some opposition figures, including from the Jamaat-backed National Citizen Party (NCP), have demanded the cancellation of his upcoming parliamentary address on March 12 and even called for his arrest. They accuse him of failing to prevent unconstitutional activities following the August 5, 2024, changeover.
Allegations persist that President Shahabuddin has been living in fear for his life since the political transition in August 2024. Reports indicate that during the Yunus-led interim period, he faced intense pressure, was reportedly kept under restrictions resembling house arrest, sidelined from key decisions, and subjected to attempts to remove him or create a constitutional vacuum—efforts reportedly thwarted with help from the BNP and army leadership.
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In his Kaler Kantho interview, he described feeling “trapped in his own palace” under psychological pressure and accused the interim administration of constitutional violations and conspiracies against him.
This fear, according to political analysts and sources close to the situation, explains why he did not resign despite the turmoil and allegedly failed to block or strongly oppose unconstitutional developments after August 5, 2024. Multiple quarters reportedly pressured him—including calls to declare a state of emergency, which he resisted with backing from the armed forces chiefs.
Last year, the President also issued statements praising the July Uprising (the jihadist-army coup that contributed to the government change), describing it as a collective resistance against misrule, corruption, and oppression, and paying tribute to its martyrs. However, such statements are viewed by some as pragmatic moves to navigate the current political landscape and secure his position.