Chief Whip Nahid Islam Demands Removal and Arrest of President Sahabuddin

Participating in a discussion on the vote of thanks for the President’s speech during the 25th day of the inaugural session of the 13th National Parliament on Thursday, April 30, 2026, Islam took a defiant stance. Presided over by Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal, the session saw Nahid Islam explicitly state that he refused to listen to or read the President’s address, declaring it irrelevant under the current political climate.

Nahid Islam alleged that during his tenure as a commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Md. Sahabuddin acted solely to fulfill specific political agendas of the previous regime. According to the Chief Whip, the President was tasked with three primary objectives: ensuring the conviction of Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman, providing a "clean chit" to the Awami League regarding Padma Bridge corruption allegations, and dismissing cases against Sheikh Hasina and other top Awami League leaders. Furthermore, Islam labeled the President as "corrupt and incompetent" for his controversial roles during the looting of Islami Bank and the July massacres, asserting that he is unfit to hold office at Bangabhaban.

In the same session, Nahid Islam criticized the failure of major political parties to resolve the nation's long-standing divisions. He remarked that even 54 years after independence, a parliament divided over "pro-liberation" and "anti-liberation" labels is undesirable. He described the July mass uprising as a "renewal of the Liberation War" and urged all parties to abandon the politics of division that has historically used the name of the Liberation War to establish fascism and looting. His speech drew mixed reactions from the members present in the House, highlighting the intense political atmosphere of the 13th Parliament.