Parliament to be dissolved soon to form interim govt, says Bangladesh President

The meeting, chaired by Mohammed Shahabuddin, unanimously decided to release Bangladesh Nationalist Party Chairperson Khaleda Zia immediately

New Delhi: Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin said the current Parliament will be dissolved as soon as possible according to the Constitution, media reported.

He said this on Monday in his address to the nation from Bangabhaban, the official residence of the President, ‘Daily Sun’ reported. Earlier on Monday night, a meeting of the Chiefs of three services, political leaders, representatives of civil society and quota movement leaders was held at Bangabhaban with the Army Chief General Waqar-uz-Zaman to discuss the formation of the interim government.

---

President Shahabuddin chaired the meeting where a condolence resolution was taken in memory of those killed in the protests and prayers were sought for forgiveness and peace for their departed souls, according to a press statement.

The meeting also unanimously decided to release Bangladesh Nationalist Party Chairperson Khaleda Zia immediately. Besides, it was decided to release all the prisoners detained in the recent movement in various cases.

Consensus was also established in the meeting that communal harmony should not be destroyed in any way, ‘Daily Sun’ reported. The delegation included BNP’s Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Mirza Abbas; Jatiya Party’s GM Quader, Mojibul Haque Chunnu and Anisul Islam; Mahmudur Rahman Manna of Nagarik Oikya; Hefazat-e-Islam’s Mamunul Haque, Mufti Monir Kasemi and Mahabubur Rahman; Jamaat-e-Islami’s Dr Shafiqur Rahman and Sheikh Md Masood; Shamim Haider of Zaker Party; Zonayed Saki of Mass Solidarity Movement; Dhaka University teacher Asif Nazrul; Arif Talukder, Omar Faruq and Mobashwera Karim Mimi, coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.

Less than two months after he took over as Bangladesh Army Chief, it was left to General Waker-uz-Zaman to formally announce the dramatic resignation of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and unveil a plan to restore normalcy in the country of 170 million people roiled by violent protests.