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Bangladesh Opp announces new protests over elections

* Hasina urges protests against police excesses
* Tens of thousands of troops deployed ahead of polls

DHAKA: A key political alliance on Wednesday announced a series of fresh street protests to demand national elections be postponed, as tens of thousands of troops fanned out across the country ahead of the January 22 polls.

Sheikh Hasina, leader of a 19-party alliance, told a huge rally in the heart of the nation’s capital that it would start non-stop demonstrations around the presidential palace on January 14 and enforce a nationwide blockade on January 17-18 to force its demands.

“If the government fails to meet our demands by then (January 18), we’ll enforce a non-stop general strike from January 21,” Hasina, a former prime minister, told thousands of supporters amid cheers in downtown Dhaka, walking distance from the presidential palace.

“We are determined not to allow a one-sided election in the country,” said Hasina, adding that the “boycott of the election is aimed to preserve democracy and the people’s right to vote”.

She urged state officials and security forces “not to pitch themselves against the freedom and democracy-loving people by siding with the corrupt and dishonest politicians”.

Hasina urged supporters to stage a countrywide protest on Thursday against police excesses during the most recent blockade as well as an indefinite blockade of roads leading to the presidential palace from January 14. She also called for a nationwide transport shutdown on January 14 to 15 and 17 to 18, and a general strike on January 21 to 22.

The announcement came after a three-day nationwide transport blockade that ended on Tuesday and saw violent clashes between police and demonstrators who want the polls postponed, citing alleged flaws in the voter list and other problems. The alliance has vowed to boycott and disrupt the election.

Meanwhile, about 60,000 troops began spreading across the country to perform election duties under the Election Commission, an official said on condition of anonymity, because he was not authorised to talk to media.

A Home Ministry spokesman said the deployment of troops to all of Bangladesh’s 64 districts and some 500 sub-districts would be completed later in the day. “The army will combat crimes, ensure uninterrupted economic activities, recover illegal arms and weapons and ensure that polls are held in a congenial atmosphere,” the spokesman said.

The commission had earlier requested troops under its guidance from January 10 to 29 for election duties such as escorting ballot papers and boxes, and guarding polling stations due to the alliance’s threats to disrupt voting.

The army has been empowered to make arrests without warrants anywhere, to ensure security during elections, an Interior Ministry statement said on Tuesday. The statement also said troops would help police recover illegal weapons.

Thousands of protesters joined the rally on Wednesday at a soccer field amid tight security. No violence was reported immediately.

Security officials took position at several entry points to the rally venue, and on rooftops of surrounding buildings and two stadiums.

“Only god knows where we are heading to,” said one disgruntled government official. agencies

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