Published: 12:32 AM, 23 August 2026
What powers does president wield
Bangladesh's Constitution places the president above all other offices in rank.
Yet the post's ceremonial weight far outstrips its executive muscle.
Mohammed Shahabuddin, the country's 22nd president, stepped down on July 24, citing ill health, nearly two years before his term was due to end.
Following his resignation, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad took over as acting president under the Constitution.
BNP's former secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was sworn in as 23rd president on Friday, after lawmakers elected him through a parliamentary vote.
Under the Constitution, the president holds independent authority over just two appointments: the prime minister and the chief justice.
In every other function, he must act on the prime minister's advice.
In exchange, the president enjoys a grand, heavily guarded official residence in Bangabhaban, along with salary, transport, medical care, hospitality allowances and a raft of other perks, many of which continue even after leaving office.
Powers, Limits
Article 48(3) of the Constitution spells out two key independent powers held by the president: appointing the prime minister and appointing the chief justice.
Under Article 56(3), the president must act on the prime minister's advice in all other duties, except appointing the prime minister under Article 56(3) and the chief justice under Article 95(1).
When a party wins a parliamentary majority, the president typically appoints its leader as prime minister.
But if no party secures a clear majority, the president's constitutional discretion over who forms the government becomes far more consequential.
Similarly, the president is not bound by the prime minister's advice when appointing the chief justice, an area where the Constitution grants the office independent authority.
By law, the prime minister must keep the president informed on matters of state and foreign policy.
If the president asks for any matter to be placed before the cabinet, the premier is obliged to do so.
However, no court may question whether the prime minister has offered the president any advice, or what that advice was, a form of constitutional immunity built into the system.
Another significant strand of the president's legal authority is the power to grant pardons or commute sentences.
Under Article 49, the president can grant pardons, reprieves and respites for any punishment handed down by any court, tribunal or authority, and can remit, suspend or commute any sentence.
In practice, though, exercising this power, like nearly every other presidential duty within the parliamentary system, still hinges on the government's advice.
Beyond constitutional protections, the presidency carries another distinguishing feature: constitutional immunity.
Under the Constitution, the president answers to no court for actions taken in office. No criminal proceedings can be brought against him in any court while he holds the post.
Nor can any court issue a warrant for his arrest or imprisonment during that time.
The president can, however, be impeached through a parliamentary process on grounds of violating the constitution or gross misconduct.
The Constitution also allows for removal on grounds of physical or mental incapacity.
Should serious allegations arise against the president, the post becomes vacant if a motion passes with the support of at least two-thirds of parliament's total membership.
A similar parliamentary process applies for removal on grounds of physical or mental incapacity, which requires a medical board to examine the president's health first. The post becomes vacant following the same two-thirds vote threshold.
Once the president resigns or retires, there is nothing to stop legal action being taken against them.
The president's term runs five years, and they continue in office until a successor takes over. No individual may serve more than two terms, or 10 years in total.
While holding office, the president is not eligible to remain a member of parliament.
If a sitting lawmaker is elected president, their parliamentary seat falls vacant the day they take office.
Under Bangladeshi law, presidential candidates must be at least 35 years old. Being a member of parliament is not a prerequisite for the post.
Salary, Perks
The perks available to Bangladesh's president are laid out in The President's (Remuneration and Privileges) (Amendment) Act.
It sets the president's monthly salary at Tk 120,000, exempt from income tax.
The salary was last revised in 2016 under the Awami League government, up from Tk 61,200 a month previously.
The president retains certain government perks even after retiring or resigning.
An annual allowance covers the president's hospitality or entertainment expenses, spending that isn't subject to audit.
Bangabhaban serves as the president's official residence, with the state treasury covering its upkeep, decor and other expenses.
The government also provides vehicles and transport for the president's official travel. On foreign trips for state duties, the president receives allowances at government-set rates.
The president also has access to a discretionary fund worth Tk 20 million a year, which they can direct towards individuals or institutions at their own discretion.
The president and their family members are entitled to free treatment at any hospital in the country. Should doctors recommend treatment abroad, the government covers that cost too.
The president also carries flight travel insurance, currently worth Tk 2.7 million a year, up from Tk 1.5 million before 2016.
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