DHAKA, April 29: Nine small bombs exploded in the Bangladeshi capital on Sunday, police said, after an opposition supporter was shot dead in clashes ahead of a fourth nationwide strike in eight days.

Security was tight across the country, with around 10,000 policemen deployed in Dhaka, and most shops, offices and schools were shut amid tensions over the disappearance of an opposition leader.

There was no damage or injuries from the explosions but one opposition supporter was shot dead elsewhere in clashes with ruling party activists late on Saturday, police said.

Two of the nine homemade bombs were hurled at the Secretariat, home to several government ministries and offices, deputy commissioner of police Nurul Islam said.

“Two unidentified youths drove motorbikes outside the Secretariat gate, stopped and then hurled two small bombs that exploded with loud noises, creating panic among officials,” he said.

The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has been leading angry protests since one of its leaders, Ilias Ali, went missing on April 17 in an alleged case of kidnapping by the security forces.

Five small bombs exploded at the start of the latest strike on Sunday at Mirpur in northern Dhaka and two more exploded in front of the opposition headquarters in the city, police officers said.

The BNP supporter who died on Saturday was hit by three bullets in the southern town of Lakshmipur during a fight between BNP and ruling Awami League party workers, police inspector Monirul Alam said.

“He died of his wounds after he was rushed to a hospital,” Alam said, adding that another person was critically injured.

Three BNP activists were killed last week in clashes with police in Ali’s constituency in northeastern Sylhet district.

Police found Ali’s car abandoned in an upmarket district of Dhaka. His driver is also missing. The BNP fear Ali has been killed and accuse the elite Rapid Action Battalion security force of abducting him.—AFP