Bangladesh ruling party supporters demonstrate against blockade

Thousands of supporters of the Bangladeshi ruling party marched on Monday toward ex-prime minister Khaleda Zia's office, demanding an end to her opposition alliance's countrywide transport blockade.

Police and witnesses said thousands of supporters of the ruling Bangladesh Awami League thronged the streets leading to Zia's office under the banner of "the coordination council for workers, employees, professionals and freedom fighters."

Police stopped the demonstrators at an intersection in Dhaka's diplomatic enclave Gulshan, when they tried to move toward the office, where Zia has been staying since Jan. 5 after she was barred from joining a rally of her Bangladesh Nationalist Party ( BNP).

Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan led the march and the demonstrators chanted slogans against the so far 42-day-long anti- government blockade.

Scores of activists of Mohila (Women) Awami League also staged a similar demonstration near Zia's office.

Meanwhile, two home-made bombs exploded near a popular mall in Dhaka on Monday, leaving two people with minor injuries.

The blasts occurred at around 12:30 p.m. local time (0630 GMT) near Gulshan's busy shopping center frequented by tourists and local residents.

Incidents of clash, arson, vandalism, chase and counter-chase as well as detention have also been reported in the capital and elsewhere in the country on the second day of a 72-hour strike called by the opposition.

Since last month, the BNP and its allies have been launching strikes to press ahead with its demand for a fresh election under a non-party caretaker government system. Endi