Violence during strike leaves one dead

DHAKA (AP):

Rock-throwing protesters enforcing a general strike yesterday clashed with police, detonated home-made bombs and attacked vehicles in parts of Bangladesh, leaving one person dead and dozens injured.

A local police official said a truck driver died early yesterday from fatal head injuries after being hit by rocks. The attack that killed the driver and injured several other people occurred in Bogra district 175 kilometres (110 miles) north of the capital, Dhaka.

The police official spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak publicly.

An alliance of 18 parties was enforcing the nationwide 36-hour strike that began yesterday to press for the release of more than 160 opposition politicians arrested in the last two weeks.

Dozens of small bombs, mostly explosives in tin pots, went off in parts of Dhaka, where protesters clashed with police firing tear gas, private television stations Somoy TV and Ekattar TV reported. At least 25 people were injured, said the reports.

Calling a general strike is a common tactic in Bangladesh to highlight opposition demands, and the latest strike came a day after a hardline Islamic group enforced a shutdown on Monday to demand that the government enact an anti-blasphemy law to try those who insult Islam and its prophet.

Bangladesh, a Muslim-majority nation, is governed by secular liberal laws.