New Bangladesh president sworn in

Professor Iajuddin Ahmed was sworn in yesterday as the new president of Bangladesh. Chief Justice Mainur Reza Chowdhury administrated the oath at a simple ceremony at Bangabhaban, the presidential palace.

Ahmed assumed the office of President for a five-year term.

A retired professor from Dhaka University, Ahmed succeeded Prof. AQM Badruddoza Chowd-hury, who had resigned on June 21 in the face of impeachment threats by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.

The prime minister, members of the council of ministers, MPs, leaders of different political parties, diplomats and eminent citizens attended the ceremony. Main opposition party, Awami League, which has rejected the new President, boycotted the programme.

The opposition party says Ahmed is biased in favour of BNP and would not perform neutrally. The new President, for his part, promises to be neutral as far as his presidential responsibilities are concerned.

Earlier, the BNP had appointed him the chairman of Public Service Commission and the University Grants Commission.

Professor Ahmed belonged to the pro-BNP panel of Dhaka University teachers and served the university administration.