Ershad Swears In His Successor After Lifting State of Emergency

President Hussain Mohammed Ershad resigned Thursday and handed power to a caretaker vice president chosen by the opposition.

He administered the oath of office to Shahabuddin Ahmed, chief justice of the Supreme Court. After the 15-minute ceremony in the president’s office, he told Shahabuddin: “You have our blessings. I want peace to return to society.”

Reporters who attended the ceremony said Ershad’s eyes were filled with tears as he bade farewell to chiefs of the country’s army, navy and air force and his personal staff.

Hours earlier, Ershad lifted the state of emergency in effect since Nov. 27.

Shahabuddin, 62, will supervise elections to Parliament, which must be reconstituted within 90 days. The new body will decide whether to retain power or hold presidential elections.

“I have no political ambition. I shall not stay here beyond the mandated 90 days,” Shahabuddin said. “During this period, I shall try to ensure peace and stability, hold free and fair elections and hand over power to the elected representatives of the people.”

Originally, Shahabuddin’s nomination was to be approved by Parliament on Saturday, but Ershad unexpectedly dissolved the lawmaking body early Thursday.

Constitutional experts and opposition sources said it had been doubtful that a majority of legislators would emerge in public for a vote. Two-thirds of Parliament belonged to Ershad’s Jatiya Party, and many members were reluctant to appear in public for fear of being attacked by anti-Ershad activists.

Ershad, a former army general who took control in a 1982 coup, had faced seven weeks of often violent nationwide protests against his government. On Tuesday, he promised to step down as soon as a replacement was named.

The opposition claims that at least 100 people were killed by government troops during the emergency. Ershad’s administration said that only six people had died.

His resignation capped a dizzying reversal of his political fortunes. Three weeks ago, Ershad predicted success in the June 1991 presidential elections.

The opposition parties made vote fraud the pivotal point of their protest when Ershad announced his candidacy. Charges of vote fraud dogged the 1986 and 1988 elections to Parliament.