Bangladesh
Abdul Hamid Bangabhaban bids formal farewell to a President for the first time since independence
Dhaka, April 25: Bangabhaban bid farewell to the outgoing President Md. Abdul Hamid through a state ceremony. After independence, this is the first time in the 52-year history of Bangladesh that a head of state has been bid farewell by Bangabhaban.
Abdul Hamid handed over the country's highest constitutional post to the new President Md. Shahabuddin on Monday. He is the only person of Bangladesh who held the post of President for two consecutive terms for 10 years and 41 days.
There has never been such a farewell ceremony at Bangabhaban before in the last 52 years of Bangladesh's history. Because in the political history of the country, there was no smooth environment to hold such events.
Abdul Hamid, a veteran politician with an illustrious career, assumed the presidency for the first time on March 14, 2013. The then President Md. Zillur Rahman was undergoing treatment in Singapore. After the death of Zillur Rahman, he became acting president on March 20, 2013.
He was later sworn in as the 20th President in April 2013. On April 24, 2018, he was sworn in as the country's 21st President for a second term.
The new President Md. Shahabuddin took oath at the historical Darbar Hall of Bangabhaban at 11 am on Monday. Later he went to his Gulshan residence.
In the evening President Shahabuddin was taken to Bangabhaban at 8.20 pm from Gulshan following state protocol.
Meanwhile, immediately after the swearing-in ceremony, outgoing President Hamid left for his residence in Nikunj along with his family members. Abdul Hamid was taken to his Nikunj residence in a motorcade under the supervision of Special Security Forces (SSF). As part of the farewell ceremony, a sharp contingent of the Presidential Guard Regiment (PGR) provided a 'Guard of Honour' to the outgoing President. A band of army, navy and air force took part in the farewell ceremony.
Bangabhaban officials, divided into two groups, stand in a row on either side of the car. They bade farewell to Abdul Hamid by throwing flower petals on an open jeep from the main gate of Banga Bhavan to the fountain at the outer gate. From there he was taken to Nikunj's residence in a motorcade for the last time around 01:45.
Veteran politician and Member of Parliament Abdul Hamid was previously elected Member of Parliament (MP) seven times since the country's independence in 1971. After noon on Monday, Abdul Hamid and his family returned to their civilian lives. This was Hamid's last ride in the entire motorcade and after that he had to get used to stopping at traffic lights and junctions again.
