Police use batons to break up Bangladesh protest

BANGLADESH: Police used batons to break up a protest Sunday in Bangladesh, where demonstrators took to the streets across the country in another general strike ahead of the next election in January.

It was at least the 20th strike called this year by the opposition, which is calling on senior officials of the election commission to resign over charges they have erased opposition members from voting rolls.

The demonstrations in the capital Dhaka and other major cities shut down businesses and blocked most traffic on the roads.

In Dhaka, more than 2,000 protesters took part in one of the rallies, according to an AFP reporter at the scene. They marched through the streets chanting: "No reforms, no elections!"

The protest, led by former home minister and key opposition figure Mohammad Nasim, was dispersed by police wielding batons.

"It was a barbaric attack by police. If this continues we are going to launch a movement next week to oust the government," Nasim said.

At least two police officers were injured during the protests after small bottles filled with petrol were hurled at them in the city's Mahakhali district, deputy police commissioner Obaidur Rahman said. "Both the officers were hospitalised and are safe," he said.

Separately, two explosions created panic in central Dhaka, but no injuries were reported, area police chief Abdur Razzak said.

Police also used batons in other parts of the city where demonstrators hurled bricks and stones at police, ATN Bangla television reported. Some vehicles were damaged in the fracas.

Mahbub Alam, Dhaka's deputy police commissioner, said at least 8,000 police and paramilitary were on hand to keep order and at least 16 people were arrested in the capital for violence during the strike.

In the southern city of Khulna, Bangladesh's third largest city, workers marched with sticks in support of the strike, local deputy police commissioner Kazi Jashimuddin said.

"The roads are empty and shops are closed but so far we have no reports of violence," he said.In the second largest city of Chittagong, home to the nation's largest port, police deployed around 4,000 officers but there was no violence, a local police official said.

More clashes were reported in the northern towns of Tangail and Mymensingh, the ATN Bangla channel said, including a truck torched by protesters.

"The protesters also barricaded railway tracks in the northern district town of Lalmonirhat, halting the movement of a passenger train for more than three hours," Shafiqul Alam Khan, a spokesman for the Bangladesh Railway, said.

Dhaka, Monday, AFP