Dhaka, Jan 12
A former central bank governor, Fakhruddin Ahmed, was sworn in
Friday as chief of a caretaker government in Bangladesh amid a state
of emergency and a media blackout imposed on the country.
President Iajuddin Ahmad, who had given up his twin job as chief
adviser of the caretaker government under public pressure, swore
Fakhruddin into office at the presidential palace without the media
attending.
The job was offered to the country's Nobel laureate and economist
Mohammed Yunus, but he refused.
Earlier reports said troops and paramilitary police reinforced
positions across Bangladesh amid an uneasy calm following a state of
emergency declared by President Iajuddin.
After more than two months of political turmoil across the country,
the proclamation of emergency suspends fundamental rights including
the rights to stage rallies and street marches.
"The president has proclaimed emergency using his authority as
mentioned in Article 141 of the country's constitution," said a
presidential spokesman.
The upcoming parliamentary polls were also put off indefinitely.
About 20 people were killed due to violence in the last two months,
a media report said. Protracted political unrest had shattered the
economy and posed a threat to the fledgling democracy.
In a televised address to the nation late Thursday night, Iajuddin
also announced his resignation from the position of the chief of the
caretaker government promising to appoint an acceptable person to
the office.
The new caretaker chief will hold the polls at an appropriate time
after preparation of a credible voters' list.
Election Commission officials said the Jan 22 general election was
postponed but admitted that there were constitutional hurdles to
overcome before the polls could be held with the participation of
all political parties.
Iajuddin called out the army to quell the escalating political
violence sparked by a standoff between the two biggest political
alliances led by former prime ministers, Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda
Zia.
Observers said the standoff was the result of inflexible positions
held by the two leaders on the holding of a general election in the
country, the fourth since Bangladesh returned to parliamentary
democracy in 1991.
While Hasina's 14-party combine wanted to hold the vote after
updating the old voters' list, Zia's Nationalist-Islamist coalition
preferred early polls.
Meanwhile, night curfew has been withdrawn in the capital Dhaka.
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