MONITORING DESK
DHAKA: Thousands of supporters of Bangladesh’s main opposition political party on Saturday held a protest demonstration against the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and demand fresh elections in the country.
The protestors were chanting slogans against Sheikh Hasina and demanded new polls.
Opposition asks prime minister to call fresh elections
Tension was high in Dhaka after security personnel stormed the main office of the country’s opposition party Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Tuesday, leaving at least one man dead and 100 wounded.
Local media reports said that two of the BNP’s top leaders were arrested on Friday over charges of inciting violence in the county.
The opposition party has been holding protests around the country demanding the Prime Minister’s resignation and demanding fresh polls under an interim government.
BNP claimed that more than 200,000 people had attended Saturday’s protest in the capital.
UN and Bangladesh
BNP spokesperson Zahiruddin Swapan said that they demand Sheikh Hasina’s resignation and the holding of free and fair polls in the country.
Dhaka Police spokesperson Faruq Ahmed rejected the claim of the opposition regarding the number of protestors in the rally. Police personnel has been deployed and checkpoints have been set up in the capital due to the protest of the opposition.
BNP officials accused the government of triggering an unofficial transport strike to prevent people from joining their rally in the city.
United Nations (UN) and Western countries expressed concerns over the political situation in Bangladesh.
