* Reports say 1,300 people arrested in raids across Dhaka cityDHAKA Baton-wielding police prevented opposition supporters from holding rallies on Monday to demand early elections and the resignation of Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.
The country’s main opposition party, the Awami League, has launched a campaign of street protests and general strikes accusing Zia’s government of corruption, incompetence and harassment of political opponents.
Zia has denied the allegations and vowed to remain in power until her five-year term ends in 2006.
Media reports said police arrested 1,300 people in raids across Dhaka city on Sunday, raising the total number of detainees to more than 10,000 since the police crackdown began on April 19.
Most of the detainees - held on suspicion that they could organise anti-government attacks - have been sent to jail, while some were freed after questioning, the Sangbad and Bhorer Kagoj newspapers said on Monday.
They were picked up from bus, train, ferry stations or the city’s slums, the dailies reported.
Police refused to confirm how many people had been arrested, saying the arrests followed intelligence reports that anti-government activists were planning to create anarchy in the capital, the Prothom Alo newspaper reported.
Last week, authorities ordered more than 7,000 security forces into the streets of the capital after the opposition party planned a series of rallies. On Monday, about 100 Awami League members tried to demonstrate in central Dhaka, shouting anti-government slogans, witnesses said. Riot police broke up the rally and similar opposition protests across the city.
About 40 Awami League lawmakers carried black flags and shouted anti-government slogans inside the Parliament building on Sunday. The opposition party has planned nationwide general strikes on Wednesday and Thursday ahead of a April 30 deadline it has set for the government to quit.
The opposition has not said what it plans to do if Zia ignores the deadline.
Witnesses said a number of people were detained at rail, bus and ferry terminals as they tried to enter Dhaka.
Police have confirmed 7,000 people were taken into custody since last week but had no immediate figure for Monday.
“It is a violation of human rights,” said a spokesman for the main opposition Awami League party, which is spearheading the campaign to oust the government.
The Awami League, which has held seven one-day strikes since February that have wreaked havoc on Bangladesh’s fragile economy, called two more shutdowns for Wednesday and Thursday as part of its campaign to force Zia quit by Friday for allegedly failing to curb crime and corruption.
The government, which enjoys a two-thirds majority in parliament and a mandate until 2006, says it is working hard to improve a poor law-and-order situation inherited from the previous Awami League government. ap/afp