Click to play videoDhaka: Bangladesh President Iajuddin Ahmed, who led the interim government, resigned on Thursday hours after declaring a state of emergency in the country where elections will be held on January 22.
All nine other advisors of the 10-member interim government also tendered their resignations, a presidential palace spokesperson said.
"The senior most advisor of the advisory council, Justice Mohammad Fazlul Haque, has taken charge as the acting chief advisor," he said.
The spokesman said Ahmed was expected to constitute a new advisory council. Until then, Haque would discharge the duties of the head of the interim government.
Ahmed, before resigning, imposed night curfew in the country to prevent violence during a strike call given by Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina, who is boycotting the elections.
The fast-paced developments came a day after over 60,000 army and paramilitary forces were deployed across the country to maintain law and order and aid the civil administration in the smooth conduct of elections.
The country's eight private television stations suspended news broadcasts following the declaration of emergency and were asked by the information ministry to relay bulletins from state-run Bangladesh Television.
The developments came as the United Nations and the European Union suspended the monitoring duties of their observers, saying the political crisis has jeopardized the legitimacy of the polls.
"The political crisis in Bangladesh has severely jeopardized the legitimacy of the electoral process. The announced cancellation of numerous international observation missions is regrettable," UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said in a statement.
"The UN has had to suspend all technical support to the electoral process, including by closing its International Coordination Office for Election Observers in Dhaka."
The EU also decided to suspend its election observation mission in Bangladesh. The presidential spokesman said Ahmed had "proclaimed emergency using his authority as mentioned in the Article 141 of the Constitution".
Fundamental rights under the constitution were suspended and an indefinite curfew was imposed in Dhaka and other district headquarters from 11 pm to 5 am. The right to stage "all kinds of" rallies and street marches was suspended.
A 17-party alliance, led by Sheikh Hasina's Awami League, has decided to boycott the elections, saying it cannot be conducted in a fair manner under Ahmed and the present election commission.
The alliance has decided to organise street protests and lay seige to the Presidential Palace to force the government to postpone the polls and carry out electoral reforms.
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