Army deployed amid violence in Bangladesh ahead of polls

Jan 9, 2007, 9:40 GMT

Dhaka - Mobile army units rolled out of garrisons across Bangladesh Tuesday to quash political activists defying a police ban on rallies and marches as three days of clashes have left more than 600 injured across the country, officials said.

The deployment of the army at strategic locations in the embattled capital city followed blockades since Sunday of Dhaka enforced by a united opposition led by the Awami League.

The blockade was imposed to force the caretaker government of President Iajuddin Ahmed to scrap the January 22 general election and announce fresh dates for the vote.

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 handover 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.