DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Bangladesh’s President Mohammed Shahabuddin, appointed during the rule of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, resigned Friday halfway through his term following years of political turbulence in the South Asian country.
A new government headed by Tarique Rahman, the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and Hasina’s archrival, came to power with a landslide victory in February after 18 months of interim rule under Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus. Hasina stepped down and fled to India in August 2024 following an anti-government movement that ended her 15-year rule.
Hasina fiercely criticized the interim administration led by Yunus.
Shahabuddin submitted his resignation on Friday to Parliament Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, citing medical reasons. The resignation letter was seen by The Associated Press. The speaker told a news briefing later on Friday that he accepted the resignation.
But local media reported that Shahabuddin had to resign under pressure from the current government as he allegedly talked to Hasina by phone when he visited London for medical treatment in May. The AP could not confirm the incident independently.
Shahabuddin was known to be a trusted follower of Hasina. Following her ouster, he faced strong opposition from a student group that led the uprising against Hasina. The protesters branded him a collaborator of Hasina and took to the streets demanding his resignation and arrest.
A new political party formed by the student leaders of the uprising, the National Citizen Party, has long been campaigning against Shahabuddin.
According to Bangladesh's constitution, if the president resigns, the speaker of Parliament automatically takes over the post on an interim basis until a new president is elected by lawmakers. The NCP joined an election alliance led by the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami party, the largest Islamist party in the country.
The president is the head of state and primarily a figurehead but also has a constitutional role during a political crisis. The president also acts as the commander-in-chief of Bangladesh's armed forces.
Shahabuddin was sworn in as the 22nd president of Bangladesh on April 24, 2023. Hasina won a fourth consecutive term in a January 2024 election that was boycotted by major opposition parties including Rahman’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Jamaat-e-Islami.
Shahabuddin’s resignation has deprived Hasina of a powerful ally. The ousted prime minister has told mainly Indian media that she wants to return to Bangladesh in December and surrender in court to face charges.
India refused to hand over Hasina to Bangladesh despite repeated requests by both the Yunus-led government and the current one.
In November, a special tribunal on Bangladesh sentenced Hasina to death in absentia for ordering a crackdown on the uprising. The United Nations in a report said nearly 1,400 people were killed in the crackdown. Hasina denied the charges against her from exile.
FILE- Bangladesh's President Mohammed Shahabuddin arrives for the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2023. (Adek Berry/Pool Photo via AP, File)
FARNBOROUGH, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul 24, 2026--
Vertical Aerospace ("Vertical") (NYSE: EVTL), a global aerospace and technology company pioneering electric aviation, concluded a landmark Farnborough International Airshow after a week of major milestones that demonstrated the maturity of its technology, the strength of the ecosystem supporting commercial electric aviation, and its continued execution against certification, manufacturing and commercialization strategy.
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Historic Public Flight Demonstrations
The week began with Vertical making history by completing the first public electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) transition flight demonstration at the Farnborough International Airshow. The aircraft successfully transitioned from vertical take-off to wing-borne flight before returning to a vertical landing, showcasing how it will operate in real world environments without the need for a runway. Vertical continued successful demonstration flights throughout the week in front of tens of thousands of visitors.
Stuart Simpson, CEO of Vertical Aerospace, said: "This week at Farnborough showed that electric aviation is moving from promise to progress. From our historic public transition flight to new customers, partnerships and government support, we've demonstrated that commercialising a new class of aircraft takes more than breakthrough technology - it takes an ecosystem. We're proud to be helping build that ecosystem and bringing the future of flight closer to reality."
UK Government Support and Industrialisation
Alongside the piloted flight demonstrations, Vertical announced it is in advanced discussions with the UK Government on a package of support worth up to £10 million ($13.5 million) to establish its first full-scale production facilities in the UK, highlighting the UK's commitment to building a world-leading advanced air mobility industry. During the week, the new Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds, visited Vertical's stand and attended a demonstration flight.
The Company’s manufacturing plans are intended to support future production scale-up as Vertical moves from flight testing toward certification and entry into service. During the week, Vertical also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with UK Export Finance to explore future export and customer financing support as the Company scales production and serves international markets.
This government momentum, was further expanded with the announcement of a £3.4 million UK Government backed ECLiPSE programme led by Vertical Aerospace to develop next-generation charging and thermal management technologies for electric aircraft .
Defence and Autonomous Capabilities
Vertical also continued to expand its autonomous defence capabilities through its partnership with Near Earth Autonomy, while the Ministry of Defence confirmed its interest in the Company's eVTOL, hybrid-electric and autonomous technologies, with ongoing engagement to explore future dual-use applications.
Ecosystem and Global Partnerships
Beyond technology and industrialisation, Vertical continued to build the ecosystem needed to bring electric aviation into commercial service. This included:
Path to Certification and Entry into Service
Vertical’s Farnborough announcements build on continued progress toward certification of its Valo aircraft and its target of achieving Type Certification in 2029. The company is advancing through a structured flight‑test and design‑approval programme, using piloted full-scale prototypes to de-risk the path to certification.
In parallel, Vertical is investing in UK manufacturing and battery facilities and working closely with regulators, air navigation service providers, and infrastructure partners to ensure Valo can be safely integrated into existing airspace and operated under emerging eVTOL rules. This combined focus on technology, regulation, and industrial readiness is designed to support a smooth path from certification to commercial entry into service on key urban and airport‑shuttle routes.
Additional images and broadcast-quality video are available here.
About Vertical Aerospace
Vertical Aerospace is a global aerospace and technology company pioneering electric aviation. Vertical is creating a safer, cleaner, and quieter way to travel. Valo is a piloted, four-passenger, Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft, with zero operating emissions. Vertical is also developing a hybrid-electric variant, offering increased range and mission flexibility to meet the evolving needs of the advanced air mobility market.
Vertical combines partnerships with leading aerospace companies, including Honeywell, Syensqo and Sonaca, with its own proprietary battery and propeller technology to develop the world's most advanced and safest eVTOL.
Vertical has c.1,500 pre-orders of Valo, with customers across four continents, including American Airlines, Avolon, Bristow, GOL and Japan Airlines. Certain customer obligations are expected to be fulfilled via third-party agreements. Headquartered in Bristol, UK, Vertical's experienced leadership team comes from top-tier aerospace and automotive companies such as Rolls-Royce, Airbus, GM, and Leonardo. Together, they have previously certified and supported over 30 different civil and military aircraft and propulsion systems.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any express or implied statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding a UK Government package to support the Company’s planned global full-production sites in the United Kingdom, which remains subject to the completion of legal, subsidy control, due diligence and ministerial approval processes; the Memorandum of Understanding from UK Export Finance, which is not legally binding; the interest from the Ministry of Defence in the defence applications for Vertical’s eVTOL, hybrid-electric and autonomous capabilities; the continued support from Innovate UK; the receipt of government funding relating to the zero emission flight demonstrator competition; the public flight demonstrations at the Farnborough International Airshow and related historical significance; Vertical’s involvement in Project VERTI-GO, the Project’s planned initiative and successful milestones; the non-binding Memorandum of Understanding between Vertical and Near Earth Autonomy and its anticipated benefits, the integration of autonomous flight systems with Valo; the Memorandum of Understanding with Sigma Air Mobility for the pre-order of Valo aircraft, which are not legally binding, conditional and may be terminated without penalty at any time by either party; our ability to collaborate with Sigma Air Mobility on aircraft operations, commercial readiness and customer requirements; the Memorandum of Understanding with the General Authority of Civil Aviation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to establish the regulatory and operational foundations needed to enable Advanced Air Mobility in Saudi Arabia; the Memorandum of Understanding with MoU with Cluster2 Airports Company to prepare for the development of eVTOL aircraft operations within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; the design and manufacture of our aircraft and the hybrid-electric variant, certification and the commercialization of our aircraft and our ability to achieve regulatory certification of our aircraft product on any particular timeline or at all, the features and capabilities of the aircraft, business strategy and plans and objectives of management for future operations, including the building and testing of our prototype aircrafts on timelines projected, completion of the piloted test programme phases, selection of suppliers, the differential strategy compared to our peer group; expectations surrounding pre-orders and commitments; as well as statements that include the words “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “project,” “forecast,” “estimate,” “may,” “should,” “anticipate,” “will,” “aim,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” and similar statements of a future or forward-looking nature. These forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are not a guarantee of future performance. Actual outcomes may differ materially from the information contained in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including, without limitation, the important factors discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 24, 2026, as such factors may be updated from time to time in the Company’s other filings with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof and accordingly undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. The Company disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than to the extent required by applicable law.
Demonstrates historic public eVTOL transition flights at Farnborough International Airshow, showcasing how the aircraft will operate in real world environments
