DHAKA, March 30: More than 100 people, including journalists and police personnel, were wounded as fierce clashes between opposition activists and law enforcers marked a sit-in of the Awami League-led alliance of opposition political parties around the Bangladesh secretariat on Thursday.
The clashes began at the end of the sit-in when some opposition activists tried to defy a ban on gatherings around the secretariat.
The opposition had organized the sit-in to demand reforms in the constitutional provision for caretaker government and the election commission.
They started pelting stones and brickbats at the police, who, in turn, charged batons, lobbed teargas canisters and fired rubber pellets to disperse the rowdy lot.
At least 100 teargas canisters were lobbed and several rounds of rubber pellets fired during the hour-long clashes.
The police action did not deter the opposition activists who fought back with stones and brickbats.