Global Pulse

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  • Chairman of South Korean tech giant SK ordered to pay $640 million in divorce case

    Chairman of South Korean tech giant SK ordered to pay $640 million in divorce case

    One of South Korea’s most closely watched and financially massive divorce cases reached a new milestone Friday, when the Seoul High Court ordered SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, one of the nation’s wealthiest business leaders, to transfer 944 billion won ($640 million) in assets to his ex-wife Roh So-yeong. The ruling, which local media has widely labeled the “divorce of the century”, comes after South Korea’s Supreme Court sent the case back to the appellate court for re-evaluation last year.

    Roh, who currently serves as a director of a prominent Seoul-based art museum, is the daughter of late former South Korean President Roh Tae-woo. The latest asset award is lower than the 1.38 trillion won ($940 million) the Seoul High Court initially ordered Chey to pay in 2023. The tycoon was also previously ordered to cover 2 billion won ($1.3 million) in spousal support payments.

    The revised valuation of the settlement is tied to recent changes in Chey’s overall asset base, which has grown alongside the global AI boom that has driven sharp gains in shares of SK Hynix, SK Group’s leading semiconductor subsidiary. The Supreme Court’s 2023 remand centered on a key point of disagreement in the original ruling: the lower court had anchored part of its settlement on a finding that Roh’s father provided SK Group with 30 billion won ($20.4 million) in undeclared slush funds during his presidency, a contribution that it ruled helped drive the conglomerate’s growth. But the Supreme Court rejected the argument that these unreported funds could be legally recognized as a contribution to SK’s expansion, requiring the lower court to recalculate the settlement.

    Chey and Roh first married in 1988 and share three children together. The case began in 2017, when Chey filed for divorce after publicly confirming he had entered a relationship with another woman and fathered a child with that partner. Neither Chey nor Roh appeared at Friday’s ruling session. Either party has the right to appeal the new ruling to South Korea’s Supreme Court, which would send the case back to the nation’s highest court for another review.

    Notably, Chey is currently part of a delegation of top South Korean business leaders accompanying President Lee Jae Myung on a visit to the United States. During his trip, Lee is scheduled to meet leading U.S. technology executives including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang in San Francisco Friday. The trip’s core goal is to pitch foreign investment in South Korea’s expanding artificial intelligence and semiconductor sectors, two industries that are central to the nation’s economic growth strategy.

  • Tech titan ordered to pay ex-wife $644m in divorce settlement

    Tech titan ordered to pay ex-wife $644m in divorce settlement

    One of South Korea’s most closely watched legal disputes, widely dubbed the “divorce of the century,” has concluded with a landmark ruling ordering SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won to hand over 944 billion won (equivalent to $644 million) to his ex-wife Roh Soh-yeong. The case, which has dominated headlines across the nation for years, marks a final chapter in a decades-long marriage and contentious asset battle that has been intertwined with South Korea’s political and economic history.

    The reduced settlement, which remains pending final formalization, is lower than the 1.38 trillion won award initially granted to Roh in a 2024 lower court ruling. The ex-couple, who were married for 35 years, first separated more than a decade ago after Chey admitted to fathering a child with another woman. Roh is the daughter of Roh Tae-woo, who served as South Korea’s president from 1988 to 1993, a connection that became a core point of legal contention throughout the proceedings.

    In the 2024 initial trial, Roh’s legal team successfully argued that Chey’s rise to leading South Korea’s second-largest chaebol was significantly buoyed by financial support from his former father-in-law. The lower court ruled that Roh Tae-woo had provided 30 billion won in illegal slush fund assets to Chey in 1991, a contribution that factored into the original 1.38 trillion won award. However, South Korea’s Supreme Court overturned that ruling last year, holding that illegally obtained slush funds could not be classified as shared marital assets eligible for division, sending the case back for re-evaluation.

    The high-stakes divorce has unfolded alongside a period of explosive growth for SK Group, a family-owned conglomerate that anchors much of South Korea’s modern economy. Founded as a small textile business in 1953, SK has expanded its footprint across virtually every key sector of the nation’s economy, from mobile telecommunications through SK Telecom to retail energy distribution. Today, it ranks as the country’s second-largest chaebol, trailing only Samsung Group in overall scale and influence.

    In recent years, the group has gained global spotlight thanks to its semiconductor subsidiary SK Hynix, a critical supplier of advanced chips to AI giant Nvidia that has become a central player in the global artificial intelligence boom. The chipmaker’s valuation crossed the $1 trillion threshold on South Korea’s domestic stock market in May 2025, and it pulled off a record-breaking $26.5 billion initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange last month — the largest listing ever for a foreign firm on U.S. exchanges. As SK Hynix’s value has surged, so too has Chey’s public standing: just last month, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung praised Chey and Samsung chairman JY Lee as “Heroes of Korean People” during the unveiling of a national AI infrastructure investment plan.

    In a statement following the latest ruling, Chey’s legal team acknowledged the public concern sparked by the drawn-out proceedings. “Chairman Chey Tae-won is deeply sorry in that [the divorce] proceedings so far have caused concern to many people,” the statement read. “We will share specific response to the verdict after we closely review the ruling.” The BBC has reached out to SK Group for additional comment on the ruling, as of this reporting no further statement has been released.

    The verdict is not only a major resolution to one of South Korea’s most sensational celebrity legal cases, but it also shines a renewed spotlight on the inner workings of the chaebol system, where family wealth, political connections, and corporate power have long been deeply intertwined. With the final settlement amount now set, attention will turn to how Chey will structure the payout, and what impact, if any, the asset division could have on the leadership and strategy of one of the world’s most important technology conglomerates.

  • Why have thousands taken to the streets? India’s ‘cockroach’ protest explained

    Why have thousands taken to the streets? India’s ‘cockroach’ protest explained

    Across India, tens of thousands of demonstrators have mobilized in public spaces in what has become one of the most significant grassroots protest movements the country has seen in recent years. What began as a localized outcry over unchecked corruption, bureaucratic negligence, and the exploitative practices of state-backed sand mining mafias in the southern state of Karnataka has quickly erupted into a nationwide movement that has captured public attention. The movement’s unconventional mascot – the humble cockroach – has become its most recognizable symbol, and its roots trace back to a controversial comment from a senior state politician. In a 2024 public address, Karnataka’s incumbent Chief Minister Siddaramaiah dismissively labeled opposition protestors who were criticizing his administration’s corruption as “cockroaches that need to be stamped out.” Instead of silencing critics, the insult backfired spectacularly: activists embraced the label, turning the disparaging comparison into a rallying cry. Protestors argue that just as cockroaches thrive in unhygienic, dark environments, systemic corruption festers in the hidden, unaccountable corners of state governance – framing themselves as the unwanted pests that will not be erased until the rot of corruption is rooted out. Demonstrations have stretched across major urban centers, from Bengaluru to New Delhi, with participants cutting across demographic lines: students, working-class laborers, civil society activists, and opposition party members have all joined the call for greater government accountability, an end to illegal resource extraction, and transparent policy making. While the movement began as a response to local grievances, it has tapped into a broader national frustration with persistent corruption across all levels of Indian politics, turning a regional dispute into a conversation about systemic change. The “cockroach” mascot has also spawned widespread viral engagement on social media, with users sharing memes, protest art, and calls to action that have expanded the movement’s reach far beyond Karnataka’s borders.

  • Eight Muslim countries condemn mass Israeli raid on Al-Aqsa

    Eight Muslim countries condemn mass Israeli raid on Al-Aqsa

    On Thursday, a coalition of eight foreign ministers from key Arab and Muslim-majority nations issued a harsh rebuke of recent large-scale incursions by Israeli ultranationalist settlers and officials into Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, labeling the provocative actions illegal and dangerous extremist acts. The joint statement, shared publicly via Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the social platform X, builds on widespread international outrage over a mass raid staged earlier that same day, which drew thousands of far-right Israeli participants and was openly led by sitting cabinet ministers and members of parliament from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling coalition.

    Among the high-profile Israeli figures who took part in the incursion were Itamar Ben Gvir, Israel’s far-right national security minister; Yitzhak Wasserlauf, the minister in charge of the Negev, Galilee and national resilience portfolio; and Amit Halevi, a sitting lawmaker from Netanyahu’s Likud Party. Ahead of the raid, Israeli security forces imposed restrictions that blocked hundreds of Palestinian worshippers from accessing the mosque compound for traditional pre-dawn prayers, forcing many to hold prayer services in adjacent streets outside the holy site.

    The joint statement from the foreign ministers of Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia emphasized that the storming of Al-Aqsa represents a blatant violation of international law, binding United Nations resolutions, and the long-standing historic and legal status quo that has governed the holy site in Occupied East Jerusalem for decades. The group issued its strongest possible condemnation not only of the incursions themselves, but also of the public incitement and mobilization calls that preceded the raid, as well as the ongoing violent provocations carried out by sitting Israeli government ministers and extremist nationalist groups.

    In their warning, the ministers stressed that repeated incursions and provocative actions at the sensitive holy site fuel religious animosity, embolden extremism across the region, and directly undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts to secure a just, lasting peace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict built on the internationally supported two-state solution. The group also formally called for global recognition of Jordan’s long-standing historic custodianship over the entire Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, and rejected both Israel’s claims of sovereignty over Occupied East Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian holy sites, as well as ongoing Israeli efforts to forcibly alter the area’s historical, legal, and demographic character.

    The decades-old status quo agreement for the Al-Aqsa compound, a arrangement forged after the 1967 Six-Day War, outlines a clear governing structure: the Jordanian-backed Islamic Waqf, an Islamic charitable trust, retains full authority over all internal religious and administrative affairs of the site, while Israel controls external security access to the compound. Under the terms of this agreement, non-Muslim visitors are permitted to tour the site during scheduled visiting hours, but are strictly prohibited from holding any form of non-Islamic prayer on the grounds. In recent years, however, the site has seen a sharp escalation in settler incursions, most of which are carried out with armed military escort from Israeli security forces.

    This latest diplomatic push comes amid previously unreported plans, first revealed by independent outlet Middle East Eye, that the U.S. and Israel are actively working to strip Jordan of its historic custodianship of the Al-Aqsa compound. According to sources familiar with the proposal, which is championed by former White House advisor Jared Kushner and current U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, the existing authority of the Jordanian-backed Islamic Waqf would be dissolved entirely, and a new Israeli-government appointed body would reclassify the Al-Aqsa Mosque as a multi-faith site, bringing management of the holy site fully in line with Israeli government interests. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has denied the existence of such a plan, but has declined to explicitly reaffirm U.S. recognition of Jordan’s long-standing custodianship over the site.

  • At least 50 people killed and 700,000 displaced by India floods after monsoon rains

    At least 50 people killed and 700,000 displaced by India floods after monsoon rains

    Devastating floodwaters triggered by days of relentless heavy monsoon rainfall have swept through India’s northeastern Assam state, leaving at least 50 people dead and forcing more than 700,000 residents from their homes, government officials confirmed Friday. The downpour swelled the banks of the Brahmaputra River, one of Asia’s largest transboundary waterways, beyond capacity, turning vast swathes of the rural and urban landscape into submerged disaster zones.

    Originating in China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, the Brahmaputra cuts 900 kilometers through the length of Assam. This year’s extreme flood event has swallowed nearly 900 entire villages, destroyed thousands of structures, and left thousands of households without critical power access. Official data shows more than 7,000 homes are currently without electricity, while over 290,000 displaced people have sought emergency shelter in government-run relief camps across the state.

    Assam’s Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed that disaster management authorities have rolled out large-scale relief operations, including airdrops of food, clean water, and essential supplies from military helicopters to cut-off communities. State police, national disaster response teams, and hundreds of local volunteers have been deployed to conduct rescue missions for residents stranded by rising floodwaters and distribute emergency provisions to affected populations.

    For residents like 52-year-old Nazira-based farmer Jatin Gogoi, the floods have brought total ruin. Rising waters washed away his traditional bamboo-walled home, killed all of his cattle, and destroyed his only source of income. With no property left to return to, Gogoi and his five-member family are now relying on the charity of relatives for temporary shelter. “I lost all my cattle. My five-member family and I have nowhere to go, so we are taking shelter in a relative’s home,” Gogoi shared in a phone interview.

    The disaster has also severely disrupted life in Assam’s capital city of Guwahati, a bustling urban center home to nearly 2 million people. Flash flooding on Thursday evening submerged major arterial roads, leaving commuters trapped in their vehicles or workplaces for hours. Sudip Mazumdar, a journalist based in Guwahati, recounted being forced to spend the night at his office after floodwaters reached waist depth on access roads, making travel impossible.

    Climate scientists have long warned that human-caused climate change is intensifying monsoon patterns across South Asia, where the seasonal rain system traditionally occurs in two predictable phases: June to September and October to December. In recent decades, the monsoon has grown far less predictable, with extreme short-duration rain bursts replacing gradual, steady rainfall, followed by extended dry periods that exacerbate both flood and drought risk across the region.

  • China coast guard uses water cannons on 2 Philippine vessels as top diplomats meet in Manila

    China coast guard uses water cannons on 2 Philippine vessels as top diplomats meet in Manila

    MANILA, Philippines — A fresh maritime confrontation has escalated tensions in the South China Sea, just as top global diplomats gathered in the Philippine capital for high-stakes regional security negotiations. On Friday, the third such standoff in a single week, China’s coast guard deployed water cannons against two Philippine government fisheries vessels near Scarborough Shoal, marking the second consecutive day of clashes in that contested stretch of water.

    The South China Sea has been a flashpoint for competing territorial claims for decades. China asserts sovereign rights over nearly the entire waterway, one of the world’s busiest and most economically critical global trade routes. This broad claim was formally rejected by a 2016 international arbitration ruling issued under the 1982 U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, though Beijing has refused to recognize the verdict.

    According to Philippine coast guard officials, the incident unfolded when a Chinese coast guard vessel closed to within just 7 meters (23 feet) of a Philippine fisheries vessel in a maneuver Philippine authorities described as “reckless.” The close approach created a severe collision risk, the agency said, adding it strongly condemns the “dangerous and unprofessional actions of the China coast guard.” The Philippines maintains Scarborough Shoal is an integral part of its national territory, with its surrounding waters falling under the country’s territorial sea and exclusive economic zone.

    In its own official statement, the Chinese coast guard offered a conflicting account. It said multiple Philippine vessels, including three coast guard craft, had entered what it considers Chinese territorial waters on Friday. The agency confirmed it issued verbal warnings, deployed interception maneuvers, and used water cannons to expel the Philippine ships. It issued a stark warning to Manila: “We sternly warn the Philippines to immediately cease its infringing and provocative actions or bear all consequences that may arise.”

    Friday’s clash follows two other confrontations earlier in the week, including a violent encounter at Second Thomas Shoal on Monday that left two Philippine sailors injured. The Philippines says Chinese coast guard personnel struck the sailors with wooden poles, while China counters that Philippine sailors first attacked Chinese personnel with oars and long sticks.

    The escalating series of incidents has placed South China Sea tensions at the top of the agenda for the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign minister meetings, which have been hosted in Manila this week. Top diplomats from the 11-nation bloc and their global counterparts have held three days of closed-door talks focused heavily on the decades-long territorial dispute.

    On Tuesday, ASEAN foreign ministers released a joint statement addressing the tensions, noting that “concerns were expressed by some ministers on the land reclamations, activities, serious incidents in the area, including actions that put the safety of all persons at risk, and damage to the marine environment.” The bloc confirmed it has seen “significant progress” in ongoing negotiations with China on a formal code of conduct designed to prevent large-scale armed conflict in the region, with a stated goal of concluding the negotiations before the end of 2025.

    On the sidelines of the ASEAN talks, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a bilateral meeting Wednesday to discuss Monday’s Second Thomas Shoal clash, with both sides describing the incident as “escalatory.”

    The week of diplomatic meetings in Manila concluded Friday with a commemoration of ASEAN’s 1976 Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, a landmark nonaggression pact for the region. In her remarks at the event, Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro emphasized the need to protect peace amid growing global uncertainty. “Peace is a daily choice,” Lazaro said. “It requires continuous labor, deliberate restraint, inclusive dialogue and an unyielding adherence to the rule of law.”

    Contributions to this report were provided by Associated Press video journalist Joeal Calupitan in Manila and writer Ken Moritsugu in Beijing.

  • Police say Australian World Cup player Volpato has tested positive for cocaine

    Police say Australian World Cup player Volpato has tested positive for cocaine

    In an early morning traffic stop on Sydney’s iconic Anzac Bridge that has sent ripples through Australian soccer, 22-year-old former Italian youth international turned Australian World Cup representative Cristian Volpato is facing serious allegations of speeding and testing positive for cocaine, New South Wales state police confirmed in an official statement released Friday.

    Law enforcement officers pulled Volpato over after radar detection clocked the player traveling 50 kilometers per hour, or 31 miles per hour, above the posted speed limit on the heavily trafficked bridge. Following the stop, officers administered a standard roadside drug screening, which returned a positive result for the presence of cocaine in Volpato’s system, according to police details.

    The case marks a sudden off-field controversy for the young player, who made a high-profile national team switch in the lead-up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, choosing to represent Australia instead of his native Italy. During the tournament, Volpato earned three caps for the Socceroos, becoming part of one of the World Cup’s most memorable underdog stories that saw Australia advance to the knockout round.

    As of Friday, no formal charges have been announced by New South Wales police, and the investigation into the allegations remains ongoing. The Australian Football Association has not yet released an official comment on the matter following the public announcement of the allegations.

  • Two Chinese win world’s top Maths prize for solving century’s-old problems

    Two Chinese win world’s top Maths prize for solving century’s-old problems

    For the first time in the award’s storied history, two Chinese-born mathematicians have claimed the prestigious Fields Medal, widely recognized as the highest honor in the global mathematical community, marking a watershed moment for China’s decades-long push to advance excellence in mathematical research.

    Hong Wang, 35, a researcher with academic positions in the United States and France, and Yu Deng, 37, a professor at the University of Chicago, accepted the award alongside two other recipients: John Pardon of the U.S. and Jacon Tsimerman of Canada, during the official awarding ceremony held in the U.S. on Thursday. Each of the four honorees received a prize purse of 15,000 Canadian dollars, equivalent to roughly $10,500 USD.

    What makes this year’s wins all the more notable is that both Wang and Deng were recognized for solving open mathematical problems that have stumped leading minds in the field for more than a century. For Wang, the honor carries an extra layer of significance: she is only the third woman ever to receive a Fields Medal, since the award was first established in 1936.

    Wang earned her prize for co-solving the century-old Kakeya conjecture, a problem first posed by Japanese mathematician Soichi Kakeya in 1917. The question explores what the minimum possible area is that a line segment — analogized to a rotating pencil — covers when it is rotated through a full 360-degree turn. Working with colleague Josh Zahl, Wang expanded the analysis from the traditional two-dimensional flat plane to three-dimensional space, finally resolving the long-standing open question when the pair published their definitive proof last year.

    Wang explained to AFP the enduring appeal of the conjecture, noting that its core concepts naturally appear across a wide range of unrelated mathematical fields, which is why it has remained a central focus of research for more than 100 years. Wang’s research focuses on harmonic analysis, a branch of mathematics centered on the study of wave behavior and signal transformations.

    For Deng, the honor came for his breakthrough resolution of Hilbert’s Sixth Problem, another open question first introduced by legendary German mathematician David Hilbert in 1928 as part of his famous list of 23 unsolved mathematical problems. The problem asks how it is possible to derive the collective behavior of a large system from the individual movement of its component particles. Deng approached the problem by modeling and analyzing the behavior of gas particles, producing the first complete solution to the century-old question.

    In a statement following the award announcement, Deng called the honor “a really great honor to have my name listed after all those great mathematicians I’ve always been admiring.”

    The 2026 award ceremony comes at a time of growing debate over the role of artificial intelligence in advancing mathematical research, as machine learning tools increasingly challenge traditional human-led computation and proof-building. Still, the historic wins for the two Chinese mathematicians have already sparked widespread celebration across China.

    On Chinese social media platforms including Weibo and Rednote, hashtags related to the achievement, including “Fields Medal” and “First Chinese mathematicians to win Fields Medals,” racked up millions of views within hours of the announcement, with thousands of public comments pouring in from users expressing national pride. “Pride of all Chinese people,” one widely liked Weibo comment read. Another simply noted, “We are witnessing history.”

    Mainstream Chinese media outlets have also dedicated extensive coverage to the two new medalists, publishing deep dives that cover everything from their early educational trajectories and personal research interests to the broader significance of their wins for China’s mathematical community. Shing-Tung Yau, the first ethnic Chinese mathematician to ever receive a Fields Medal, called the achievement a decades-long dream come true for the Chinese mathematics field.

    The Fields Medal is awarded only once every four years, and it is restricted exclusively to outstanding mathematicians under the age of 40, a requirement that has kept the award’s prestige high across the global academic community.

  • British Open winner Ryan Fox arrives back in New Zealand, hankering for sleep and a pie

    British Open winner Ryan Fox arrives back in New Zealand, hankering for sleep and a pie

    After a whirlwind global victory lap that carried him across continents with golf’s most iconic prize, the Claret Jug, newly crowned British Open champion Ryan Fox touched down on home soil in New Zealand on Friday, already craving two simple post-triumph pleasures: a deep, uninterrupted sleep and one of his favorite local gourmet pies.

    The 39-year-old golfer was greeted with a warm family welcome at Auckland Airport, where his father Grant Fox — a former All Blacks rugby legend — pulled him into an embrace alongside Fox’s wife Anneke and their two children. Fox secured his first-ever major championship victory last Sunday at Royal Birkdale, clinching the title with a birdie on the tournament’s final 18th hole.

    “It’s good to be back,” Fox told reporters shortly after clearing customs.

    Just hours after his arrival, members of the press tracked the new champion down at his neighborhood bakery, where he was already digging into his go-to order: a loaded steak, bacon, jam and cheese pie. In the coming weeks, Fox says he plans to share his historic trophy with fans across the country, fit in a few fishing trips, and squeeze in a casual round of golf with old friends — but not before he catches up on much-needed rest. Since claiming the Claret Jug, his schedule has been packed with nonstop travel, media interviews and victory events, leaving little time for sleep.

    “I had a glass of wine, took a couple of sleeping pills and had more sleep last night than I’ve had the last four nights. It’s nice,” Fox shared. “I’m sure jetlag’s going to get me and I feel like I’m going to be pulled in every direction possible over the next 10 days or so we’re home. It’s definitely nice to be home.”

    Fox says he has already packed his golf clubs for casual outings with friends, though uncooperative weather may put a temporary hold on his plans. “We’ll see how it goes over the next couple of days. I’d like to catch up and play with some mates. I’ve had a look at the forecast and it doesn’t look real good over the next little while. I don’t want to play golf in the rain if I have to. But I’d like to get out on the course,” he explained.

    The champion also expressed deep gratitude for the outpouring of support he has received from New Zealanders and golf fans around the world since his historic win. “The support’s been unbelievable, to be honest; I can’t thank people enough,” he said.

    Fox also shared a piece of valuable advice he received from two-time PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas, who reached out to congratulate him after the victory. Thomas told Fox to hold onto every small memory of his first major win, as those moments will become meaningful touchstones down the line. Fox noted that perspective from a seasoned champion who has experienced both the high of major victory and the challenges of career slumps means a great deal.

    “Having someone who has gone through that — winning a major, accomplishing some dreams and then going through some down times as well,” Fox added. “I can imagine being able to draw on that is really important and a good nugget of advice.”

  • Sheikh Hasina ally to step down as Bangladesh’s president

    Sheikh Hasina ally to step down as Bangladesh’s president

    Bangladesh is facing a new wave of political upheaval as President Mohammed Shahabuddin, one of the last remaining allies of ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, prepares to step down from his post. The impending resignation comes amid growing speculation that Hasina, who was sentenced to death in absentia last year, will soon return to the country from her exile in India.

    Shahabuddin’s exit from office follows mounting pressure from leaders of the current ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), multiple anonymous sources confirmed to BBC Bangla. The 59-year-old president, who only took office in 2023 with a term scheduled to run through 2028, is expected to formally tender his resignation to Parliament Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad on Friday. Ahmad, who has been receiving medical treatment in Thailand, has cut his trip short to return to Dhaka to receive the resignation, according to insider reports. Sources also indicate Shahabuddin is likely to cite health issues as the official reason for his departure, though political observers widely attribute the move to shifting power dynamics in the country.

    The trigger for Shahabuddin’s sudden decision traces back to recent comments from Hasina herself, who told Reuters earlier this month that she planned to return to Bangladesh to face the death sentence handed down against her by the country’s International Crimes Tribunal. Last year, widespread student-led protests against Hasina’s government erupted across Bangladesh, leaving more than 1,400 protesters dead after security forces used lethal force to suppress the unrest. The chaos ultimately forced Hasina to flee the country for neighboring India, and the tribunal later found her guilty of authorizing the crackdown, sentencing her to death in absentia.

    In the months after Hasina’s ousting, an interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus took power, and her long-ruling Awami League was banned from political activity. Hundreds of the party’s leaders have been arrested, and Hasina has repeatedly condemned what she calls widespread repression of her supporters. “My party leaders and workers are being subjected to tremendous repression,” she told Reuters in her recent interview. “If death comes, I want it to come on my own soil, where my parents are buried and where their blood was shed.”

    Shahabuddin was the only senior ally of Hasina who retained his position in government after the collapse of her administration. For months, he continued carrying out his ceremonial presidential duties under the new interim administration, but he made no secret of his discomfort in the role. In an interview with Reuters last December, he revealed he had felt “humiliated” after the interim government ordered his portraits removed from Bangladeshi embassies and consulates around the world. At the time, he said he would stay in office until general elections were held and allow the new elected government to determine his future.

    That election came in February, when the BNP secured a landslide victory that cemented its hold on national power. Even after the election, Shahabuddin remained in the presidency, but pressure for his resignation grew steadily as Hasina’s comments about returning home reignited tensions across the country.

    Current Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed struck a measured tone when questioned by reporters on Thursday, noting that the government had not issued any formal demand for Shahabuddin to step down. He added that the Bangladeshi constitution explicitly grants the president the right to resign if he chooses to do so, confirming that the process would follow constitutional protocol.

    Under Bangladeshi law, if Shahabuddin follows through with his resignation, a new presidential election must be held within 90 days to fill the vacant post. Political analysts say the resignation clears the way for the BNP-led government to appoint a new head of state aligned with its policy priorities, as the country continues to navigate its post-Hasina political transition amid ongoing uncertainty over the ousted leader’s planned return.