Emergency declared in Bangladesh

Dhaka: Bangladesh's president on Thursday declared a state of emergency following weeks of violent protests and threats by a political alliance to disrupt coming general elections, his press secretary said.

President Iajuddin Ahmed was expected to address the nation shortly on television and radio to explain the step, Press Secretary Mukhlesur Rahman Chowdhury said without providing details.

Indefinite night curfew has been imposed for Capital Dhaka and more than 60 other cities and towns from late Thursday night, state-run TV station reported.

The curfew will remain in force each night for six hours starting from 2300 hrs, IST (1700 GMT) until dawn, the station reported quoting an announcement from the president's office.

On Wednesday, a key political alliance announced a series of fresh street protests to demand national elections be postponed, as tens of thousands of troops fanned out across the country.

Sheikh Hasina, leader of a 19-party alliance, told a huge rally in the heart of the nation's Capital that it would start nonstop demonstrations around the presidential palace on January 14 and, enforce a nationwide blockade on Janaur 14-15 and another on January 17-18 to force its demands.

''If the government fails to meet our demands by then (January 18), we will enforce a nonstop general strike from January 21,'' Hasina, a former Prime Minister, told thousands of supporters amid cheers in downtown Dhaka, walking distance from the presidential palace.

''We want to take part in the elections, but it must be held in a free and fair manner.''

Hasina accused the country's interim President Iajuddin Ahmed of bias toward former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, Hasina's archrival.

She asked Ahmed ''not to be the part of a conspiracy'' to rig the polls.

The latest protest plans came after a three-day nationwide transport blockade that ended Tuesday and saw violent clashes between police and demonstrators who want the polls postponed, citing alleged flaws in the voter list and other problems.

The alliance has vowed to boycott and disrupt the election.

Bangladesh has spent 15 years under military rule since gaining independence from Pakistan in 1971.

Two of its presidents have been slain in military coups, and there have been 19 failed coup attempts.