Bangladesh’s interim government on Tuesday granted the army special powers to maintain law and order, a sign of the country’s continuing instability after its autocratic leader fled last month following widespread protests.

       The new order, while falling short of an emergency declaration, gives army officers wide-ranging local policing powers. They can now issue search and arrest warrants and are authorized to disperse large gatherings.

       The Ministry of Public Administration said the powers would last for two months and would apply across the country of 170 million people. Asif Nazrul, the interim government’s top law official, told local news outlets that the measures were needed because of public disorder in several parts of the country, including industrial areas.

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