Two days after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh announced that the country will hold its next general elections in January 2024, Opposition's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) mounted huge protest in the capital&nbsp;Dhaka's Golapbag.&nbsp; 
 
Protests sparked by power cuts and fuel price hikes have erupted across the country in recent months, demanding that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina step down in favour of fresh elections under a caretaker government.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bangladesh-to-go-to-polls-in-jan-2024-sheikh-hasina-seeks-fifth-term-541217">Bangladesh to go to polls in Jan 2024, announces Sheikh Hasina, seeking her fifth term</a>

Prior to the Dhaka rally on December 10, two top leaders of BNP were arrested along with 500 supporters for allegedly instigating violence ahead of the rally.&nbsp; 
 
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the general secretary of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and Mirza Abbas, a former minister and member of the party’s top decision-making body, were taken from their homes at about 3am on Friday,&nbsp;Zahiruddin Swapan, head of the BNP’s media wing, told AFP.

WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-is-bangladesh-heading-toward-a-sri-lanka-like-crisis-504986">Gravitas: Is Bangladesh heading toward a Sri Lanka-like crisis?</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-is-bangladesh-heading-toward-a-sri-lanka-like-crisis-504986/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Tensions were&nbsp;high in the capital before the rally, which the&nbsp;BNP said would draw hundreds of thousands of supporters from all over the country. The turnout at the rally on Saturday was reported to be 'significant' by local media.&nbsp;

Police said they will not allow a demonstration in front of the party office, which they called a crime scene&nbsp;after saying they had found Molotov cocktails at the location.

What are BNP's demands?

The BNP, along with the majority of other political parties and civil societies, have&nbsp;urged the government to reinstate the three-month non-political caretaker government system in preparation for the December 2023 national election. The governing Awami League government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, however, has rejected the demand, claiming that it would be contrary to the constitution.

Fifteen foreign embassies, including the U.S., issued a joint statement late on Tuesday calling for the country to allow free expression, peaceful assembly and fair elections, with the UN making a similar declaration a day later.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1  width=&quot;100%&quot;"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Two days after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh announced that the country will hold its next general elections in January 2024, Opposition's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) mounted huge protest in the capital Dhaka's Golapbag.

Two days after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh announced that the country will hold its next general elections in January 2024, Opposition's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) mounted huge protest in the capital Dhaka's Golapbag. Protests sparked by power cuts and fuel price hikes have erupted across the country in recent months, demanding that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina step down in favour of fresh elections under a caretaker government. ALSO READ | Bangladesh to go to polls in Jan 2024, announces Sheikh Hasina, seeking her fifth term Prior to the Dhaka rally on December 10, two top leaders of BNP were arrested along with 500 supporters for allegedly instigating violence ahead of the rally. Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the general secretary of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and Mirza Abbas, a former minister and member of the party’s top decision-making body, were taken from their homes at about 3am on Friday, Zahiruddin Swapan, head of the BNP’s media wing, told AFP. WATCH | Gravitas: Is Bangladesh heading toward a Sri Lanka-like crisis? × Tensions were high in the capital before the rally, which the BNP said would draw hundreds of thousands of supporters from all over the country. The turnout at the rally on Saturday was reported to be 'significant' by local media. Police said they will not allow a demonstration in front of the party office, which they called a crime scene after saying they had found Molotov cocktails at the location. What are BNP's demands? The BNP, along with the majority of other political parties and civil societies, have urged the government to reinstate the three-month non-political caretaker government system in preparation for the December 2023 national election. The governing Awami League government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, however, has rejected the demand, claiming that it would be contrary to the constitution. Fifteen foreign embassies, including the U.S., issued a joint statement late on Tuesday calling for the country to allow free expression, peaceful assembly and fair elections, with the UN making a similar declaration a day later. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Bangladesh: Opposition stages massive protest against PM Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka

A Bangladeshi court today issued arrest warrants against 67 BNP leaders and activists, including top aides of former prime minister Khaleda Zia, in a case related to last year&#39;s violent campaign spearheaded by the opposition party in which more than 100 people died. 
 
&quot;The court issued the warrant taking into cognizance a case against them under the (tough) Special Powers Act,&quot; an official of Metropolitan Sessions Judges Court said.&nbsp;Justice Kamrul Hossain Mollah passed the order after accepting the charges pressed against 93 people but issued the warrants against 67 people, including BNP&#39;s vice chairman and former minister Selima Rahman, Zia&#39;s press secretary Maruf Kamal Sohel and her special aide Shimul Biswas.&nbsp; 
 
The court directed the police to submit a report on October 10 on the execution of the warrants.&nbsp;Legal experts, however, said the accused might seek the reversal of the order by a High Court. 
 
Police earlier said that the 67 people were accused of attacking and damaging buses and cars and obstructing police in discharging duties in a particular incident at Mugda area of the capital in February last year.&nbsp;More than 100 people died in arson attacks on vehicles. 
 
The BNP-led four-party alliance boycotted the January 2014 general elections, saying polls with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina&#39;s government in power would not be credible.&nbsp;And the main opposition party outside the Parliament waged a protracted and violent street campaign, coinciding with the first anniversary of the second consecutive term of the incumbent regime. 
 
BNP and its right-wing allies had enforced a nationwide blockade last year. Zia and 50 other leaders and activists of her party were charged earlier in a Dhaka court in two cases over the violence. Police accused her of instigating party activists to torch buses and trigger explosions. 
 
(PTI)

Police said thoe accused attacked buses and cars, and obstructed police, in an incident which killed more than 100 people

A Bangladeshi court today issued arrest warrants against 67 BNP leaders and activists, including top aides of former prime minister Khaleda Zia, in a case related to last year's violent campaign spearheaded by the opposition party in which more than 100 people died. "The court issued the warrant taking into cognizance a case against them under the (tough) Special Powers Act," an official of Metropolitan Sessions Judges Court said. Justice Kamrul Hossain Mollah passed the order after accepting the charges pressed against 93 people but issued the warrants against 67 people, including BNP's vice chairman and former minister Selima Rahman, Zia's press secretary Maruf Kamal Sohel and her special aide Shimul Biswas. The court directed the police to submit a report on October 10 on the execution of the warrants. Legal experts, however, said the accused might seek the reversal of the order by a High Court. Police earlier said that the 67 people were accused of attacking and damaging buses and cars and obstructing police in discharging duties in a particular incident at Mugda area of the capital in February last year. More than 100 people died in arson attacks on vehicles. The BNP-led four-party alliance boycotted the January 2014 general elections, saying polls with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government in power would not be credible. And the main opposition party outside the Parliament waged a protracted and violent street campaign, coinciding with the first anniversary of the second consecutive term of the incumbent regime. BNP and its right-wing allies had enforced a nationwide blockade last year. Zia and 50 other leaders and activists of her party were charged earlier in a Dhaka court in two cases over the violence. Police accused her of instigating party activists to torch buses and trigger explosions. (PTI)

Bangladesh court issues arrest warrants for 67 opposition leaders and activists

bangladesh-political-violence

Bangladesh Political Violence, News on Bangladesh Political Violence, stories on Bangladesh Political Violence, articles on Bangladesh Political Violence, Bangladesh Political Violence stories at Wion, Bangladesh Political Violence news, Bangladesh Political Violence latest news

bangladesh political-violence

Bangladesh: Opposition stages massive protest against PM Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka

Bangladesh court issues arrest warrants for 67 opposition leaders and activists