Bangladesh state run television reports the country's caretaker president has declared a state of emergency amid a growing political crisis over upcoming elections. The interim leader is scheduled to address the nation on Thursday.
A key political alliance is threatening to boycott the vote scheduled for January 22nd.
Earlier today the United Nations said it is withdrawing all technical support for Bangladesh's upcoming national elections.
In a statement, the U.N. said the political crisis in Bangladesh has severely jeopardized the legitimacy of the electoral process.
The U.N. said it was closing its international coordination office for election observers. It also expressed regret about the decision by the European Union and two international observer groups not to monitor the polls.
Bangladesh is scheduled to hold elections despite the boycott by the Awami League and its allies.
Earlier this week, three straight days of protests paralyzed the capital, Dhaka. Riot police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the demonstrations, injuring more than 200 people.
On Wednesday, Bangladesh's interim government deployed some 60-thousand soldiers throughout the country to maintain security ahead of the elections.
The Awami league has vowed to stage more protests until the caretaker government bows to its demands for a delay of the polls and electoral forms.
A key political alliance is threatening to boycott the vote scheduled for January 22nd.
Earlier today the United Nations said it is withdrawing all technical support for Bangladesh's upcoming national elections.
In a statement, the U.N. said the political crisis in Bangladesh has severely jeopardized the legitimacy of the electoral process.
The U.N. said it was closing its international coordination office for election observers. It also expressed regret about the decision by the European Union and two international observer groups not to monitor the polls.
Bangladesh is scheduled to hold elections despite the boycott by the Awami League and its allies.
Earlier this week, three straight days of protests paralyzed the capital, Dhaka. Riot police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the demonstrations, injuring more than 200 people.
On Wednesday, Bangladesh's interim government deployed some 60-thousand soldiers throughout the country to maintain security ahead of the elections.
The Awami league has vowed to stage more protests until the caretaker government bows to its demands for a delay of the polls and electoral forms.