Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed was sworn in at the Banga Bhavan yesterday as the nineteenth Presi dent of Bangladesh. This is. in fact. President Shahabuddin's second assumption of the highest office in the state. In his earlier 10-month stint he set a standard for fairplay and competence that mainly fashioned the nation s first fair and free elections in eighteen years. This was a key to an elected government's ruling for its full term of five years — the first time in Bangladesh.

President Shahabuddin has no high idea about his new position. And he wasn't willing to step in. But that the state needed him — a man of proven integrity and neutrality — was appreciated in time by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who was instrumental in making him yield to what had become a national demand. Shahabuddin's was such a name that as soon as he consented, the AL government jumped miles in credibility and deliverability.

Now that the mould is cast how will Shahabuddin Ahmed become a good President? What will he have to do for that? — going very dutifully to janazas and doing rounds of mazar ziarat. as he himself has wryly observed? It is true that, constitutionally. his should be the best illustration that the cliche conspicuous by one's absence ever could have. But is it for that we needed to have a man like him?

Shahabuddin Ahmed is a non-politician President with neither illusions nor ambitions about his office. The nation has chosen him to have a moral weight on governance. If he hasn t the executive authority to do good or evil, he has all the moral authority to exert on the government for good. How? If the government ever deviates from the path of national weal and he feels it, he will not lose a night's sleep before quitting. The AL government has, by electing him. has chosen a tough road for itself. A good road.

We wish the new President to complete his term and set new standards for his non-executive office also. For this to happen the present government must also be blemishless, at- least morally if not in all respects. Shahabuddin Ahmed's successful presiAuicy can set a welcome pattern of men of high ^Wtaty and intellectual achievement being elected as tw First Citizen without needing to pander to partisan politics.

We have faith in President Shahabuddin. His presidency will surely be another milestone in the Bengalee people’s endeavours for a truly democratic polity.