President Mohammed Shahbuddin has accepted Dipen Dewan’s resignation as the minister for Chittagong Hill Tracts affairs.

“The resignation will be effective immediately,” said a gazette notification issued by the Cabinet Division this evening.

Earlier in the day, Dipen Dewan resigned from his post, citing health complications.

In a resignation letter addressed to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Dipen said he had been facing various health-related complications that were creating difficulties in discharging his duties properly, PM’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman said, sharing the letter to media.

In the letter, Dipen wrote that stepping down from the position was necessary to help maintain the pace of the government's development and administrative activities.

"Due to my physical illness, various problems are arising in performing the responsibilities entrusted to me," the letter said.

The minister stepped down from the post after three and a half months.

Dewan, a former senior joint district judge, resigned from government service in 2005 and joined BNP politics.