Bangladesh President Dissolves Parliament, May Pick Successor

President Hussain Muhammed Ershad, who had promised to resign after widespread protests against his government, dissolved Parliament today after lifting a state of emergency.

State-run radio announced the dissolution of Parliament but gave no reason. Ershad earlier had called a special session of Parliament for Saturday to nominate and ratify a successor to govern in a caretaker capacity until elections.

Opposition parties decided Wednesday to nominate Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Shahabuddin Ahmed to head the caretaker government. Ershad, who has been beset by often violent protests to his rule, said Tuesday that he will resign as soon as his replacement is chosen.

Constitutional experts and well-placed opposition sources said today that Ershad would swear in his own successor.

They said this method of transition of power was chosen because it appeared that Parliament would not be able to summon a majority to endorse the proposed caretaker leader, whom opposition sources said was chosen for nomination after an eight-hour meeting of the 22 opposition parties.

Two-thirds of Parliament’s 300 members belong to Ershad’s National party, or Jatiya Dal. Many have been reluctant to appear in public for fear of being attacked by anti-Ershad activists.

Some Jatiya Dal offices and officials’ residences around the country have been stoned or ransacked.

Ershad lifted the state of emergency late Wednesday, eight days after he imposed it because of increasingly violent demonstrations for his removal.