Street fights over elections leave 150 injured in Bangladesh

Jan 8, 2007, 17:29 GMT

Dhaka - More than 150 people were injured as tens of thousands of opposition protesters battled against riot police and paramilitary border guards in the capital Dhaka for the second day Monday, officials and witnesses said.

About 60 people were arrested during street clashes which marked a three-day blockade of the capital city enforced by a united opposition led by the Awami League.

The blockade of Dhaka was called by the opposition parties in an attempt to put pressure on the caretaker government of President Iajuddin Ahmed to scrap the upcoming Jan 22 general election.

Iajuddin, a former university teacher, said the parliamentary polls would be held on time in accordance with the country's Constitution.

Outgoing Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who stepped down in October to hand over power to a caretaker government, seeks re-election for a second five-year term for her Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its ally Jamaat-I-Islami.

The opposition also threatened to boycott the elections if the voters' list was not updated before the polls.

About a 100 people were injured in Dhaka on the first day of the opposition sponsored three-day blockade.