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More violence in Bangladesh

Army and Bangladesh Rifles patrol streets in major cities

— Photo: AP

SURCHARGED ATMOSPHERE: A protest rally being taken out in Dhaka on Monday.

Dhaka: Scores of people were injured and at least 50 detained as violence erupted in Bangladesh on Monday during a nationwide three-day blockade enforced by the major Awami League grouping to press for electoral reforms ahead of the January 22 general elections.

Riot police fired rubber bullets and lobbed tear gas shells at demonstrators affiliated to the former Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina Wajed's Awami League led-mega alliance during a communication blockade that paralysed the country.

Army and paramilitary Bangladesh Rifles troops patrolled the streets in Dhaka and other major cities mounting automatic weapons on armoured cars as clashes between protestors and the police left several scores injured.

50 detained

Witnesses said the protesters exploded homemade crackers and hurled stones prompting riot police to retaliate as the violence spread in Dhaka. Police detained at least 50.

The mega alliance was set to lay siege to the Bangabhaban presidential palace tomorrow demanding that President Iajuddin Ahmed quit as chief advisor of the caretaker government, scrapping the current polls schedule. The alliance boycotted the election alleging that Ahmed was biased towards the outgoing government of Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

A reconciliation attempt by US and British envoys in Dhaka, Patricia Butenis and Anwar Chowdhury, ended yesterday yielding no results.

— PTI

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