Twenty hurt in Bangladesh power, water protests

DHAKA, May 9 (Reuters) At least 20 people were hurt today when hundreds of protesters clashed with police in the Bangladeshi capital in the latest violence against water and electricity shortages, witnesses said.

About 50 buses, cars and trucks were also damaged in the opposition-led clashes that halted traffic on some streets in the crowded capital, they said.

POlice detained at least 15 people.

''We intervened to prevent further lawlessness,'' said a police officer.

A 14-party opposition alliance led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, head of the Awami League, is trying to intensify a long-running campaign to force the government out by using the protests as a new tool.

On Friday, more than 100 people were injured in clashes with police and pro-government activists during similar protests at Demra near Dhaka.

At least 20 people have been killed by police during protests by mostly farmers in the country's northwest in recent months over demands for power, water and diesel to run irrigation pumps.

Total nationwide power generation was 3,000 megawatts against a demand of 4,500 megawatts, an official of the Power Development Board said. Of Bangladesh's nearly 60 power generation plants, 25 were out of operation due to mechanical faults.

In Dhaka, a city of 10 million people, the Water and Sewerage Authority can supply only two-third of the total requirements of some 210 million liters of water per day.

REUTERS OM HS1503