Africa

Africa

Five killed in police, protesters clash across Bangladesh

25 October 2013 22:57 (UTC +04:00)

The fresh violence came after more than 100,000 opposition activists rallied nationwide to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The protesters called for the establishment of a caretaker government to oversee upcoming elections slated for January 2014.

The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its allies have announced a nationwide strike for Sunday to Tuesday to push for its demands.

Political crisis is mounting in Bangladesh as the ruling alliance and opposition parties have failed to reach a deal to form a caretaker government ahead of the elections.

Premier Hasina insists that the caretaker government is against the spirit of democracy and the forthcoming election should be held under her Awami League-led incumbent government.

The constitution, which was amended in June 2011, allows the present government to be in power while an election is being conducted.

However, prior to the amendment, it was necessary for the government in Dhaka to resign and form a non-party interim government to run the national election.

Khaleda Zia, who leads BNP, and her allies from Jamaat-e-Islami party argue that the present government must resign before the general election in January 2014.

Analysts believe if a compromise on the issue of the caretaker government is not reached by the end of October, there could be more widespread violence.

Several independent politicians have also voiced for a non-party neutral caretaker government to conduct the polls, so that the process could be credible and accepted by everyone.

The fresh violence also comes as several top opposition leaders have so far been convicted by a controversial tribunal for their role in mass killings during the war, which saw what was then East Pakistan break from Islamabad.

This comes while the opposition accuses the government of seeking to intimidate them by trying their leaders for alleged war crimes committed more than 40 years ago.

People have taken to the streets of Dhaka and some other cities several times to protest against controversial trials of opposition activists and leaders.

More than 150 people have been killed in clashes with police since the beginning of this year.

Bangladesh has experienced a turbulent history marred by military coups, bloody turmoil and natural catastrophes.