World Bulletin/News Desk

The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Monday demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

"Sheikh Hasina should have resigned with the other ministers in order to create an environment to hold a free, fair and neutral national election in the country," BNP Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi told a press conference at the party's central office in the capital Dhaka.

All cabinet ministers submitted their resignations to Sheikh Hasina earlier in the day.

The move is thought to be an attempt to pave the way for an all-party interim cabinet to supervise the upcoming parliamentary election.

Under the country's recently amended constitution, elections must be held before the outgoing parliament ends its tenure on January 24.

The 18-party opposition alliance led by BNP of former premier Khaleda Zia insists on the formation of a non-partisan caretaker government to hold and supervise the elections.

Sheikh Hasina continues to reject the opposition demand, instead proposing an all-party poll-time interim government.