At least 50 injured during hartal in Dhaka

At least 50 people were injured and dozens of vehicles stoned and damaged on Thursday during the shutdown sponsored by Bangladesh's opposition, police said.

The opposition-sponsored countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal passed off amid police baton charges, smashing of vehicles by pickets and inclement weather battering normal life and businesses in the capital Dhaka.

Awami League-led 14-party opposition combine enforced the shutdown from 6 a.m. demanding that the next general elections be held after reforming the caretaker government system and the election commission.

Witnesses said riot police severely beat up leaders and workers of opposition combine at Russel Square. Angry women workers damaged several vehicles, including a police van. Police picked up three women activists from Russel Square.

Chase and counter-chase between police and pro-hartal pickets took place in several places in Dhaka, where riot police used batons to disperse the rain-drenched opposition activists who brought out group processions to enforce the hartal.

Schools, shopping malls and most private offices and business centers were closed while traffic movement was less than usual during the hartal period.

Non-partisan caretaker government conducts the country's general elections since 1996. Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's government will handover power to the non-partisan caretaker government on Oct. 28 and the interim government will hold the elections in three months' time.

Source: Xinhua