Ending all speculations about the state of the presidency and a change in it, President Iajuddin Ahmed resumed his responsibilities yesterday afternoon, and will attend office from Sunday.

A high-powered medical board headed by National Professor Brigadier (retd) MA Malik yesterday reviewed the health condition of the president and found him fit to work, said an official announcement.

He underwent a bypass surgery on May 26 in Singapore.

The president can resume light work immediately but visitors to him should now be limited, the board said.

"The medical board expresses satisfaction at the progress of rehabilitation programme. The president is quite stable to gradually

resume routine activities. His cardiac status is satisfactory," a government handout yesterday said.

The board will again examine the president's health condition after about three weeks. It also suggested continuation of his present medication.

Speaker Jamiruddin Sircar, who acted as president since May 24, returned to his office yesterday.

The 75-year-old president was flown to Singapore on that day for treatment of cardiac complications.

Deputy Speaker Akhtar Hamid Siddiqui and Law Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Moudud Ahmed yesterday evening informed the Jatiya Sangsad about the president's resumption of duties as the state of the presidency was raised again in the House.

The Cabinet Division also issued a notification yesterday on the

president's resumption of duties.

On return from Singapore on June 20, Iajuddin did not take charge of the presidency. He was admitted to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka that triggered rumours over the state of the presidency.

The rumours started mounting when Iajuddin returned to the Bangabhaban from the CMH on June 24 but did not take charge of the presidency. Since then he was taking rest at his Bangabhaban residence and the Speaker was acting as president at the Bangabhaban office.

Against this backdrop, the opposition alleged that keeping in view the next general elections, the ruling BNP intended to replace the incumbent president with a 'more loyal' one for political gains during the caretaker government's tenure.

Leader of the Opposition and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina accused her arch political rival Prime Minister and BNP chief Khaleda Zia of conspiring to become president.

The prime minister however dismissed the allegation and told parliament on June 28, "I do not want to become president. We do not have any such plan."

The controversy took a new twist when some newspapers and a television channel carried reports quoting the president's physician at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore Dr Maurice Chu as saying that the presi-dentis fit to work.

In such a situation, senior ministers repeatedly made it clear that the president would return to office after recovering fromillness.

But ignoring this, the leader of the opposition yesterday sought an appointment to meet Iajuddin.

Moreover, the liaison committee of Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh led by former president Badruddoza Chowdhury, Jatiya Oikya Mancha led by Dr Kamal Hossain and Tarikat Federation led by Syed Nazibul Bashar Maijbhandari yesterday decided that these three leaders would meet the president.

The committee sent a letter to the president's secretary seeking an appointment for this. Badruddoza was forced by the ruling BNP to step down from the presidencyin 2002.