Bangladesh eases curfew after violence subsides

DHAKA, Aug 24 (Reuters) Traffic poured onto the streets of Bangladesh's main cities today as the army-backed interim government relaxed a curfew imposed two days ago to quell street violence, allowing people to venture out to buy essentials.

''The law and order situation is fully under control,'' the country's police chief, Nur Mohammad, told Reuters, dismissing fears the curfew relaxation might see a return of the protests, which had begun as a student demonstration on Monday.

A statement from the government said the curfew, which was lifted at 8 am (0730 IST), would be reimposed at 10 pm The curfew -- which shut down public transport, schools, banks, clinics and pharmacies -- was imposed in Dhaka and five other cities on Wednesday after a student-led protest against the presence of troops at a football match at the Dhaka University campus turned violent and spread across the country.

The violence subsided yesterday, as security forces patrolled the streets and the authorities warned they would take stern action against disorder.

All universities and colleges in the six cities, including the 40,000-student Dhaka University, were closed indefinitely.

Security forces detained two Dhaka University professors late yesterday, including Anwar Hossain, general secretary of the university's Teachers Association. The other was professor Harun-ur Rashid, dean of the Social Science Department.

''My father and uncle Anwar were picked up by joint security forces at their homes on the university campus. I don't know where they have been taken,'' Barnali Rashid, daughter of Harun-ur Rashid, told Reuters by telephone today.

Two other teachers, one of them Saidur Rahman, a former vice-chancellor of Rajshahi University in the country's northwest, were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly instigating the student unrest, said an officer of the joint forces in Rajshahi.

Police also arrested Azizul Bari Helal, a top student leader at Dhaka University, and filed cases against 2,500 students for Wednesday's violence which killed a rickshaw puller and injured some 300 people countrywide.

PRAYER GOERS SEARCHED Thousands of Muslims went to say prayers at mosques in the Bangladesh capital this noon, and were given entry only after checks by security forces.

Witnesses said police stopped every devotee at the gate of the city's largest Baitul Mokarram mosque and conducted body searches, in what police said were normal security precautions.

Bangladesh has repeatedly suffered unrest and crippling strikes over the past two years, which finally led to the imposition of a state of emergency when the interim government took charge in January.

It has promised to hold a free and fair election by the end of next year, after completing a drive against corruption.

The authorities have ordered a judicial inquiry into the Dhaka University incident, which they said was fuelled by a section of ''politicised'' teachers.

''Easing the curfew does not mean relaxation of security measures,'' said another senior Dhaka police officer.

''We have seen enough of violence in the past week. We will not allow a recurrence of violence that had virtually held the whole country hostage.'' Today, the Bangladeshi weekend, Dhaka residents rushed to markets, braving heavy rain, after the easing of the curfew was announced on state and private television channels, which the government had earlier asked not to broadcast any news footage that might incite further violence.

''My fridge is empty, I need to refill it before the curfew resumes at night,'' said housewife Parveen Akhtar.

Students have played a key role in Bangladesh political movements in the past, including in the 1971 war of independence against Pakistan, and led a people's revolt that toppled former army ruler Hossain Mohammad Ershad in December 1990.

In recent years, students have been prominent as activists for the country's two main political parties. The interim authority recently said it planned to ban campus politics, or at least prevent students from working for the major parties.

REUTERS SKB DS1408