Opposition and police clashed in Bangladesh ahead of general elections early next year, resulting in multiple injuries on both sides.
According to AP and Xinhua, hundreds of supporters and party members of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) attempted to block main roads across the capital Dhaka the previous day when police fired tear gas and rubber bullets and wielded batons to disperse them.
In the process, clashes lasted for more than five hours, leaving scores of people injured.
Police said they arrested at least 90 BNP supporters, and 20 policemen were also injured.
Two BNP leaders were also temporarily detained.
Police claimed that opposition supporters fought back by throwing bricks and other objects and even attacked police vehicles with mace.
The BNP said more than 100 of its supporters were injured and at least 124 party members were arrested by police.
Earlier, on March 28, the BNP held a massive rally in the city, which was met with a counter-rally by supporters of the ruling Awami League (AL).
The BNP and other opposition parties sympathetic to it have alleged that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina rigged the results of the 2018 general election.
They have been staging anti-government protests since August last year, demanding that Prime Minister Hasina step down and establish a neutral transitional government in order to hold a fair and free general election scheduled for January next year.
Among the demands is the unconditional release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, a political rival of Hasina, who is serving time for corruption.
However, Hasina, who is seeking a fourth consecutive term in power, maintains that the general election must be held under government supervision, as stipulated in the constitution.
In response, the United States, the European Union (EU), and the United Nations are calling on both sides to exercise restraint and find a way to hold a credible general election.
The AL and BNP have alternated in power in Bangladesh since 1991, with the exception of 2007-2008, 카지노사이트킴 when paramilitary rule was in place.