Bangladesh President Iajuddin Ahmed late yesterday night resigned from the post of Chief Advisor (CA) of caretaker government (CG) and promised to form a new council of advisors to hold a credible election within the shortest possible time. Addressing the nation over television, Iajuddin Ahmed said he will form a new caretaker government within a day or two.
"The newly constituted interim government will hold a free, fair, neutral and acceptable election to parliament within the shortest possible time in consultation with all parties concerned, " said the president, who had taken over charge of CA office as the rival political parties couldn't agree on a consensus choice.
Meanwhile, after Iajuddin's addressing, a President House spokesman announced that Jan.22 election in Bangladesh will be delayed.
The president said he took the post of CA in line with the constitution, but the two major political camps were debating on my assumption of the post.
"Since the political camps are feuding centering my taking the office of chief advisor, I am resigning from the post," he said.
Iajuddin said he took the office of CA about two and a half months ago, but during the period whatever decisions he took, one camp favored and the other opposed.
Despite sincere efforts by the council of advisors during the last two and a half months there were chaos and bloody conflicts. Many people lost their lives due to "intolerable and aggressive programmes of the political parties that pushed the national economy to a disastrous end," he said.
To justify his ultimate steps, including the state of emergency, the President said he apprehended outbreaks of violence, which would be difficult to control.
"The whole nation is plunged into an abyss of concern, instability and uncertainty. Discipline is seriously affected."
In the address, the president said that it is imperative to hold the election in a free and fair atmosphere. It is also imperative to prepare a flawless voter list, he said, admitting that various wrongs afflicted with the electoral roll in the process of updating the voter list.
Bangladesh introduced the caretaker government in 1996, which stipulates that a non-party caretaker government will supervise the national election within three months after it takes office.
Bangladeshi President Iajuddin Ahmed took over the post of Chief Advisor of caretaker government on Oct.29, 2006 as five-year tenure of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led four party alliance government ran out on Oct.27, 2006.
But Bangladesh's former opposition Awami League (AL) alleged that Iajuddin is not a non-partisan man as he was chosen as president by BNP-led four party alliance government.
The AL-led grand alliance boycotted the election set on Jan.22, saying conducive environment for a clean and credible election was not yet created by the caretaker government.
The grand alliance has enforced three-day countrywide blockade on Jan.7-9 to boycott the election and announced series of new agitation programmes from Jan.14 including countrywide blockade and hartal.
Amid the political unrest, Iajuddin Thursday evening declared a state of emergency.