One dead, dozens injured in Bangladeshi strike violence

A bus helper was dead and dozens of others injured Thursday in stray incidents of violence during the dawn-to-dusk general strike enforced by Bangladesh's main opposition alliance.

Bus helper Tofazzal Hossain, 20, was burnt to death in his sleep as miscreants allegedly set fire to the vehicle in Gazipur on the outskirts of capital Dhaka early Thursday.

Ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's opposition alliance, which is observing a nonstop blockade across the country since Jan. 5 demanding fresh elections under a non-party caretaker government system, called the strike protesting the gun attack on a leader.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's adviser Reaz Rahman, also a former state minister for foreign foreign affairs, came under the attack while returning after meeting Khaleda Zia who remains confined for the past 12 days at her office.

Miscreants opened fire on Rahman on Tuesday night, leaving him seriously injured.

On account of the hartal, huge clashes between pro-hartal pickets and police backed by ruling Bangladesh Awami League (AL) party men have been reported in parts of capital Dhaka and elsewhere in the country.

Riot police shot rubber bullets and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse stone throwing at pro-hartal activists who attempted to block roads and bring out procession along the major city streets, disrupting traffic.

Police reportedly detained dozens of opposition alliance men as they locked horns in chase and counter-chase with the law enforcers.

Dozens were injured in the street clashes. Scores of cocktails and handmade bombs were reportedly exploded.

A number of vehicles across Bangladesh were smashed or set on fire. But there were no reports of casualties. Endi