DHAKA, Bangladesh — Soldiers patrolled Bangladesh’s towns and cities yesterday after the military was deployed to end weeks of often-violent protests, prompting unease over the country’s democratic future.Bangladesh has been repeatedly paralysed over the past two months by the protests, organised by an alliance of 14 political parties that is demanding electoral reforms ahead of elections slated for January 23.

Faced with the prospect of renewed demonstrations yesterday, President Iajuddin Ahmed ordered the military into the streets late Saturday to aid Bangladesh’s civil administration and assuage fears the country is sliding into chaos before the vote.

Ahmed, who is also the country’s interim leader, said yesterday he ordered the deployment as political protests were disrupting public life and to ensure that the upcoming elections would be held on time.

“Millions have been affected by the protests, children were stopped from going to school, the economy was hit by transport blockades and stoppage of port activities, even courts were attacked. Many people died, and in a country of a peace prize winner, this shocked the nation,” Ahmed said in a televised speech late yesterday.

The president also expressed hope that the political parties would settle their differences and participate in the elections.

A Home Ministry statement earlier said the troops would act on the demands of the civil administration “to protect public life and property, keep economic activities running, recover illegal weapons and curb crimes to secure a congenial election atmosphere.”

Police indefinitely banned public gatherings or protests around the presidential palace in downtown Dhaka, and armoured vehicles took up positions around colonial-era building yesterday.

The alliance, led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, had threatened to march yesterday on the palace unless their demands for changes to the country’s Election Commission were met.

Calling in the army to help maintain law and order was viewed as a risky step in the South Asian nation, which has been plagued by military coups since gaining independence from Pakistan in 1971 — two of its presidents were slain in coups, and there have been 19 other failed coup attempts.

Hasina said she was surprised by the move, and that “the situation did not call for it.”

“It’s unjust. We withdrew our programme to march on the palace,” Hasina told reporters yesterday after a meeting with alliance leaders.

But a four-party coalition led by Hasina’s rival, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, welcomed the president’s decision. Zia stepped down at the end of her term in October so an interim government could take over to oversee the elections, as Bangladesh’s constitution stipulates.

“The government has met most of their demands, but when they threatened to lay siege to the president’s office, he was forced to take action,” coalition spokesman Mannan Bhuiyan told reporters. “We believe he took the right decision.”

Retired Maj. Gen. Syed Muhammad Ibrahim, a political analyst, called the army’s deployment “premature,” adding that it “is not good for the political future of the country.”

In the capital yesterday, soldiers started setting up camps in community halls and parks, and were checking cars in high security areas around government offices.

Despite the military presence, life continued with shops staying open and people going about their business. Sunday is a working day in Muslim-majority Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, the government promised to continue with efforts to solve the crisis.The president said his advisers had made efforts to talk with the rival political parties, but added that fresh demands continued to be made.

“We requested Chief Election Commissioner M.A. Aziz to go on leave, and appointed new commissioners and made changes in the civil service.

“We thought that would solve the problem, but they started new agitation,” Ahmed said.

However, Hasan Mashud Chowdhury, a former army chief who is now an adviser to the caretaker government, said the troop deployment could hamper the government's efforts to resolve the political crisis.

“But we'll have to accept the reAlso, yesterday, British and US envoys to Dhaka met Hasina at her residence, but details of their discussion were not immediately released.

Britain's ambassador, High Commissioner Anwar Choudhury, told the United News of Bangladesh agency that he hopes the military presence in Dhaka will be temporary.

“We trust the deployment of (the) army is temporary and has been made only in support of legitimate civil authorities,” Choudhury said.

Top business leaders also expressed hope that the army would soon be gone from the streets.

There have been frequent violent street protests since the end of October over issues surrounding the elections scheduled for January 23, leaving more than 30 dead and scores injured.