Police battle strikers in Bangladesh capital

DHAKA, Sep 21: More than 50 opposition activists were injured in clashes with police in Bangladesh's rain-soaked capital tosday during a strike calling for poll reforms ahead of elections, witnesses said.

Police chased and used batons to disperse the marching and stone-throwing activists, who called for the government to carry out the reforms or face more protests.

At least ten vehicles were damaged in Dhaka, witnesses including Reuters cameramen said.

Police detained about 20 protesters, they said.

Similar protests were held in the southern port city of Chittagong, officials said. They said the strike halted delivery of goods from the port.

Schools, shops and most offices were closed in Dhaka, Chittagong and other cities for the strike, the latest in a bid by a 14-party alliance to force Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia to accept their demands.

The alliance led by Sheikh Hasina of the Awami League wants the chief election commissioner and his deputies immediately removed, accusing them of pro-government bias.

They also want a say in choosing the head of a caretaker administration to supervise the January 2007 polls. Khaleda will hand over power to the head of the caretaker administration by the end of October after five years in power.

Hasina, a former prime minister, has said the opposition will boycott and resist the election without the reforms.

Khaleda has rejected the demands and accused the opposition of trying to disrupt democracy.

Protests and strikes occur frequently in Bangladesh. Businesses say the unrest costs the country billions of dollars a year.

REUTERS