A Bangladeshi opposition leader and dozens of party members have been arrested following violent anti-government protests in Dhaka.
According to sources, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) General Secretary Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is also one of those charged.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered over the weekend to demand Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation.
One police officer was killed and at least one demonstrator was killed.
There are conflicting reports as to why Alamgir, 75, was arrested.
Local media reported that he was detained on suspicion of attacking the home of Bangladesh’s chief justice.
But AFP news agency said he had been charged with murder, along with 164 other BNP members, after a police officer was killed during Saturday’s protests.
Police said a police officer had been hacked to death and accused BNP activists of the murder.
Protesters and police clashed again in several locations on Sunday. Dozens of people were injured.
Protests in Dhaka demand Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation ahead of elections expected in January
With general elections scheduled for January, the BNP has been protesting against Hasina, calling for her resignation and for a neutral government to hold a vote.
BNP party spokesperson Zahir Uddin Swapan said around 3,000 party activists and supporters had been detained in the past week, and Dhaka police said at least 1,480 opposition activists had been arrested on suspicion of violence since October 21. announced that he had been arrested and charged.
That includes nearly 700 people arrested during Saturday’s protests.
Hasina, the daughter of Bangladesh’s first president, has been in power since 2009 and is accused of targeting activists and political opponents, which she denies.
Bangladeshi politics has long been dominated by the feud between Hasina and Zia, who both served as prime minister.
