Violence in Bangladesh ahead of opposition's 72-hour strike

Dhaka: Stray incidents of violence were reported in parts of Dhaka and elsewhere in the country on Saturday, ahead of former prime minister Khaleda Zia-led opposition alliance`s call for another round of strike from Sunday morning.

A Dhaka Metropolitan (DMP) official, who did not wish to be named, said miscreants put on fire at least eight vehicles in parts of Dhaka and Narayanganj town on the outskirts of the capital city.

Vandalism, explosion of crude bombs and detention of dozens of opposition activists were also reported in the capital and elsewhere in the country, Xinhua reported. 

Dozens of vehicles were smashed or set on fire on the eve of the strike on Saturday.

Demanding fresh election under a non-party caretaker government system, Bangladesh`s main opposition alliance on Friday called another round of nationwide strike form Sunday morning.

The strike will start at 6 a.m. on Sunday and will continue till 6 a.m. Wednesday, according to Salahuddin Ahmed, the spokesperson of Khaleda Zia`s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). 

The strike announcement came just a day after the opposition alliance observed a five-day countrywide strike from February 22 morning amid violent clashes, vandalism, arson and crude bomb attacks.