DHAKA, July 9: The President of Bangladesh, Prof Iajuddin Ahmed, returned to his office on Sunday after 45 days of absence due to illness, ending opposition’s apprehensions that he had been ‘declared’ ill to pave way for installing a partisan president.

“The president came to his office at 11:55 am and did some routine work for more than one hour before leaving for his residence,” said a press release issued on Sunday by the president’s secretary.

Prof Iajuddin, 75, last attended his office on May 23 when he fell ill and was admitted to the Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka.

The following day he was flown to Singapore where he underwent a cardiac surgery at the Mount Elizabeth Hospital. He returned home on June 20.

Later, he stayed at the CMH for check-up before returning to his official residence.

During this period, Sheikh Hasina, president of the opposition Awami League party and leader of the opposition in parliament, publicly stated on several occasions that the government of Prime Minister Khaleda Zia had declared President Iajuddin ill to pave the way for replacing him with a partisan person.