Htin Kyaw, whose post is largely ceremonial, has been a close ally of the country's de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. He was handpicked by the Nobel peace prize laureate to become president because a constitution drafted by the country's former junta bars her from the top office. There has been speculation in the local media for some months that Htin Kyaw was in ill-health, but this was denied by officials. The president's office said: "According to the Myanmar constitution article 73 (b), procedures will be undertaken to fill the president vacancy within seven working days."

Source: bd News24 March 21, 2018 05:15 UTC