SCORES OF PEOPLE INJURED AS VIOLENCE RAGES ACROSS BANGLADESH

    Dhaka, 24 Dhul Hijja 1434/29 October 2013 (MINA) – The Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industries, the country’s business body, expressed concern over the latest crisis that has killed at least 15 people since the weekend and urged both the government and opposition to resolve disputes through dialogue.

      Scores of people were injured as violence raged across Bangladesh today, the last of a three-day strike called by opposition activists in a bid to pressure the prime minister to resign, Indepandent.ie quoted by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

     Homemade bombs exploded in parts of the country today, injuring a police official in the capital, said Sheikh Maruf Hasan, a Dhaka Metropolitan official.

     Scores more have been injured across the country since Sunday, when the decades-old rivalry between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and opposition leader Khaleda Zia flared anew with the nationwide strike closing down businesses and roads and government opponents clashing with police and ruling party supporters.

       The opposition says the government is not capable of holding a credible vote and has threatened to boycott an election scheduled to be held by early next year unless a caretaker leader is appointed from outside of political parties.

      Opposition BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has called an emergency meeting of the party’s highest policy making body, the standing committee, at her Gulshan office Tuesday night, Dhaka Tribune reports.

       The meeting is expected to discuss the current political situation and to decide the party’s next course of action.

       The BNP-led 18-party alliance is observing the last day of its 60-hour countrywide shutdown on Tuesday.

      The opposition BNP dialogue apparently rejected the prime minister’s offer, saying dialogue can be held only after their scheduled hartal (labour strikes or collective actions) programme. (T/P09/E1).

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA).