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National Parliament Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed is cutting short his visit to Bangkok and returning to Bangladesh on Friday amid growing speculation over the possible resignation of President Mohammed Shahabuddin.
According to sources, the speaker is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on a Thai Airways flight at 12:10 pm.
The development comes as reports continue to circulate that President Shahabuddin may step down.
Under the constitution, a president wishing to resign must submit a signed resignation letter to the Speaker of Parliament.
Sources said the speaker travelled to Bangkok on July 19 for medical treatment and was originally scheduled to return on July 26.
However, the visit has now been shortened.
An official at the Parliament Secretariat confirmed that the speaker would return on Friday instead of Sunday as initially planned.
Article 50(3) of the Constitution states that the president may resign by submitting a signed letter to the Speaker.
Under Article 54, if the office of the president becomes vacant or the president is unable to perform official duties, the Speaker of Parliament assumes the role of acting president until a new president is elected.
If President Shahabuddin resigns, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed would serve as acting president until the election of a successor.
The Constitution also requires, under Article 123(1), that a new president be elected by members of Parliament within 90 days of the office becoming vacant.
