Bangladesh's president dissolves parliament

Bangladesh's President Mohammed Shahabuddin dissolved parliament on Tuesday, paving the way for the formation of an interim government following the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The president also ordered the release of jailed former Prime Minister and key opposition leader Begum Khaleda Zia, according to a press release from Bangabhaban, the official residence of the president of Bangladesh.

"The decision to dissolve the parliament was taken following the president's discussions with the three chief of staffs of armed forces, leaders of different political parties, representatives of civil society and leaders of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement," said the press release.

Shamsuddin Dider, a member of the media wing of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), told Xinhua that the party's chief, Khaleda Zia, has already been released.

The release order came a day after her archrival, Hasina, resigned and the military took power in the country. Hasina fled Bangladesh on Monday amid violent protests.

An interim government will be set up to run Bangladesh after Hasina's resignation, according to army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman.

Zaman made the remarks in a broadcast to the nation on state television on Monday afternoon. He confirmed earlier media reports concerning Hasina's resignation.

"We would now go to the president to form an interim government," said Zaman.

Hasina, 76, took office for her fourth straight five-year term as the country's prime minister in January this year after her ruling Bangladesh Awami League party won a landslide victory in the parliamentary elections. The opposition BNP had boycotted the elections.

India confirms Hasina's presence

On Tuesday, while speaking in parliament's upper house Rajya Sabha, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar confirmed that Hasina arrived in India on Monday evening.

This was the first time the Indian government had confirmed Hasina's presence in the country since she fled Bangladesh.

The minister told federal lawmakers that Hasina had sought India's approval to come to the country.

"At very short notice, she requested approval to come for the moment to India. We simultaneously received a request for flight clearance from the Bangladesh authorities. She arrived yesterday evening in Delhi," Jaishankar said