Bangladesh opposition supporters clash with police in protest over election oversight

Police in Bangladesh’s capital on Saturday clashed with supporters of the country’s main opposition party, which said scores of its activists were injured during anti-government protests in parts of the city.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party headed by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the transfer of power to a non-party caretaker government until the next general election, which is expected to be held by early January.

Zia’s party and its allies accuse Hasina of vote rigging in 2018 and the party has been protesting over who should oversee the next general election.

On Saturday, hundreds of activists of Zia’s party attempted to block several entry points to Dhaka, the capital, while police fired tear gas and charged with batons to disperse them. The opposition activists retaliated by throwing pieces of brick and attacked police vehicles with sticks, police said. On Friday, Zia’s party announced the sit-in protest at all the entrances of Dhaka and supporters of the ruling Awami League party also took to the streets.

Faruk Hossain, a spokesman of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said officers arrested at least 90 opposition activists during the five-hour protest in parts of the city and 20 police were injured in clashes with the protesters.

The United States, the European Union and the United Nations have urged the sides to demonstrate restraint and work toward holding a credible election.