Bangladesh clashes: Two killed in anti-government protests

At least two people have been killed and dozens injured in clashes in Bangladesh between anti-government protesters and security forces.

The violence erupted in the capital, Dhaka, during protests calling Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign ahead of elections due in January.

Police said those killed belonged to the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) but gave no details.

BNP official Shariful Alam said they were “shot dead by the police”.

He told the Dhaka Times that the two activists were attending a rally in the central district of Kishoreganj on Tuesday – the first day of three days of planned protests called by the BNP.

He said one activist died on the spot, while the second died at a hospital.

The Dhaka Times reported that about 50 people were injured, including about 15 police officers.

Kishoreganj police chief Mohammad Russell Sheikh told BBC Bangla that BNP activists attacked the police, who opened fire “in self-defence”.

The opposition says a free and fair poll is not possible under Ms Hasina.

On Saturday police broke up a rally in Dhaka calling on her step down. One police officer died and more than 100 people were injured.

On Sunday the authorities charged BNP secretary-general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and more than 150 other party members over the death.

Dhaka police say at least 1,480 opposition activists have been arrested and charged with violence since 21 October. The BNP have put the number of arrests at 3,000.

The office of the UN Commissioner for Human Rights said it was “deeply concerned” by the unrest and called “on all political actors to make clear that such violence is unacceptable”.

Ms Hasina, the daughter of Bangladesh’s first president, has been in power since 2009, and has been accused of targeting political opponents, which she denies.

Also on Tuesday, Bangladeshi police also clashed with thousands of garment workers demanding fair wages.

Officers used tear gas and water cannon to disperse the striking factory workers outside Dhaka. Police say crowds had blocked roads and smashed up factories that produce clothes for major western brands.