Police in Bangladesh have clashed with anti-government demonstrators as the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party enforced a three-day transport blockade across the country to demand the prime minister’s resignation.
The BNP is also seeking the transfer of power to a non-partisan caretaker government to oversee general elections next year.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ruled out dialogue and warned the opposition of consequences if they continue the blockade.
Two opposition supporters died and 40 others, including 15 police officers, were injured on the blockade’s first day in the central district of Kishoreganj, local government administrator Abul Kalam Azad said.
The ruling Awami League party warned that the opposition would be confronted if they continue to create what it called anarchy in the country.
The government has been under pressure for months as the BNP, led by former prime minister Khaleda Zia, has staged anti-government protests.
Elections are expected in January, and the political situation is tense as the Election Commission prepares to announce the schedule.
The opposition says it will not join in the election despite Hasina’s pledges for a free and fair vote.
On Tuesday, media reported clashes in Narayanganj district outside the capital Dhaka where three policemen were stabbed.
The United News of Bangladesh agency reported violence including vandalism and arson in Dhaka and other districts.
Dozens of people were arrested, reports said.
On Saturday, Zia’s party held a massive rally in Dhaka that turned violent.
The following day, the opposition party held a day-long general strike across Bangladesh when authorities arrested a key opposition politician who has led the movement in the absence of Zia, who is ailing.
The party then announced three days of blockade.
The foreign missions of Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States in Dhaka issued a joint statement on Monday urging all sides to refrain from violence and work together to create conditions for a free, fair and peaceful election.
On Tuesday, hours after US ambassador Peter Haas met with Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal and said he hoped all sides would engage in dialogue, Hasina ruled out that possibility and described the opposition as “murderers”.
She was referring to the violence on Saturday when opposition activists allegedly beat a police official to death.
The prime minister strongly criticized Zia’s party.
“We won’t just let them off this time. They will not be able to stop the election this way,” she said.
The vote will be held on schedule, she added.
She has ruled out the possibility of holding it under a caretaker government.
In a news conference, the prime minister also appeared to criticise the US ambassador’s comments.
“Is (US President Joe) Biden holding dialogue with Mr Trump? If Biden sits with Trump for dialogue, then I will hold the dialogue (with the opposition),” she said.
Politics in Bangladesh has been dominated by two major dynastic parties led by Hasina and Zia.
Hasina seeks a fourth consecutive term as she pursues an agenda of development by implementing mega projects and offering partnerships to China, India, France, Russia, Japan and Saudi Arabia, among others.
The US is the largest importer of Bangladesh’s garment products while the European Union has a strong trade and development partnership.
Critics accuse Hasina’s administration of corruption and failure to uphold human rights.
