Bangladesh president resigns

Bangladesh President Iajuddin Ahmed today stepped down as the country’s interim leader soon after declaring a state of emergency, news reports said.

Ahmed will continue as the country’s figurehead president, according to state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) and private United News of Bangladesh news agencies.

He will formally announce his decision in a speech on television and radio expected late tonight, the reports said.

Nine advisers to the interim government also resigned, the reports said.

The move is seen as making way for installing a new interim leader charged with holding elections currently scheduled for later this month.

Ahmed’s resignation comes after weeks of violent street protests and crippling blockades sponsored by a key political alliance demanding postponement of January 22 general elections.

The protests have left at least 34 people dead since late October.

The European Union today called back election observers from Bangladesh because of political strife before the January 22 polls.

“It has become clear that we cannot pursue the election observation mission as we had hoped,” EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said.

A key political alliance yesterday announced a series of fresh street protests to demand national elections be postponed, as tens of thousands of troops fanned out across the country.