Bangladesh prevents rival rallies in Dhaka

Bangladesh police banned rallies planned in the capital city of Dhaka yesterday over fears of violent clashes between rival political activists.
The country’s main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its allies had called for a mass demonstration to demand that the government resign and call elections.
But the ruling Awami League party also declared they would hold a rally in central Dhaka yesterday, leading to police banning the planned action.
“Rival parties have announced programmes in Dhaka city on the same day, which could foment clashes and lead to acts of sabotage,” Dhaka police commissioner Benazir Ahmed said in a statement.
Bangladesh has a history of violent and even deadly clashes between political activists, and the opposition has recently enforced a series of strikes in a new wave of unrest.
Opposition anger was fuelled last year when the government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina scrapped a system under which neutral caretaker governments oversaw elections.
The next national election is due to be held by early 2014.