City News
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP)--A few thousand opposition party supporters marched toward Parliament in driving rain as it began its autumn session Sunday, to demand the resignation of the government following a recent string of deadly attacks on political rallies.
Riot police stopped nearly a thousand marchers from the main opposition Awami League near the Parliament building in the capital, only allowing lawmakers from the party to go through.
The rest of the opposition supporters -carrying umbrellas as well as banners with anti-government slogans -turned back peacefully.
Authorities had earlier deployed extra police around the Parliament to prevent any violence during the protest.
Meanwhile, about a few hundred supporters from 13 other smaller opposition parties also marched separately in downtown Dhaka, but were stopped by police before they could reach the Parliament area.
Organizers had expected thousands of protesters to join the anti-government protest, but rainstorms throughout the day kept many people away.
The opposition lawmakers joined the parliamentary session, where a debate on deteriorating law and order in the country was expected to take place later.
A grenade attack on an opposition rally in Dhaka last month killed 21 people and wounded more than 300. Another bomb attack on an opposition meeting in northeastern Sylhet city killed one person and injured nearly 50.
The opposition has blamed Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's administration for the attacks, saying authorities failed to provide adequate security at the gatherings and was not doing enough to catch the culprits.
The government has denied the charges. Bangladeshi investigators have sought help from the Interpol and the FBI, but are yet to make any arrests.
© Copyright 2003 by The New Nation
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