Bangabhaban today (April 24) bade a grand farewell to outgoing President M Abdul Hamid in a state ceremony through an impressive function, the first such ceremony for an outgoing president of Bangladesh.
A smartly turned-out contingent of the horse-mounted President Guard Regiment (PGR) of the army extended him a guard of honor as part of the ceremony while a band group comprising military, navy, and air force played the farewell tune.
According to Bangabhaban spokesman, In the last 52-year of Bangladesh's history, this was the first such farewell extended to an outgoing President of the republic.
The outgoing President Hamid, moved into his own residence at capital's Nikunja along with his family members in a ceremonial motorcade under the supervision of the Special Security Force (SSF).
The Bangabhaban officials and staffs queued up in two lines on both sides of the vehicle to bid him the farewell and showered flower petals on his open jeep from Bangabhaban to its main gate, where he got onboard the presidential car to leave the presidential palace.
The outgoing President reached his Nikunja residence at about 2pm, where he was welcomed by his family members and relatives with bouquets.
Reaching his private residence at Nikunja Hamid expressed his gratitude to the people and particularly to the media for their heartfelt support "in my political life".
"I'm (also) very much grateful to the Prime Minister and her government for their necessary support in discharging my tasks in a perfect manner," Hamid added.
The farewell came shortly after President Mohammad Shahabuddin was sworn in as the 22nd President of the country, an event followed by the swapping of the chairs by the new and the outgoing presidents.
President Hamid is the lone President in Bangladesh who held the post for two consecutive terms of ranging over 10 years. He was sworn in as the 20th President in April 2013 and subsequently 21st President for the second term on April 24, 2018.
Earlier today, new President Shahabuddin was administered the oath office by parliamentary Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury at the Durbar Hall of Bangabhaban.
BDST: 1815 HRS, APR 24, 2023
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