Outgoing President Shahabuddin likely to leave Bangabhaban on Sunday

Outgoing President Mohammed Shahabuddin is likely to vacate Bangabhaban on Sunday and move to his private residence at Green Villa on Road No. 123 in Gulshan, Dhaka.

Preparations at the apartment are in the final stages, with cleaning, minor renovation works and other necessary arrangements already underway. Telephone connections have also been restored and furniture is being cleaned ahead of his arrival.

People associated with the building's management said preparations were being made for the former president's return, although they could not confirm the exact date he would move into the apartment.

The building's chief security guard, Md Mostafa Kamal, said officials from Bangabhaban carried out renovation work at the flat on Wednesday and Thursday. He also said Shahabuddin had visited the apartment with his wife about a week ago.

According to the security guard, Shahabuddin used to visit the residence every two to three months even after assuming office as president, usually arriving in the morning and returning to Bangabhaban before nightfall. During those visits, he would also enquire about the well-being of the building's security personnel.

As a former president, Shahabuddin will receive security from the President Guard Regiment (PGR) and the police in accordance with official protocol. Security arrangements will be coordinated with the Special Security Force (SSF) if required.

Green Villa is located off the road between Gulshan-1 and Gulshan-2, about 200 yards from the first U-turn on the left. The six-storey building has a parking area on the ground floor.

Shahabuddin owns two apartments on the fifth floor. He and his wife will reside in Flat 502, while their son Arshad Adnan, daughter-in-law and two granddaughters live in the adjacent Flat 503. One of the remaining apartments is owned by a Bangladeshi expatriate in Canada, while the other is occupied by an official of a foreign embassy.

Since Shahabuddin assumed office on April 24, 2023, one member of the Special Branch (SB) has been deployed at the building in three shifts. Police security at the residence will continue after he leaves Bangabhaban.