Strike chaos in Bangladesh

BANGLADESH stepped up security today as a general strike called by the main opposition party shut down shops and schools and disrupted traffic for the second straight day.

The opposition Awami League called for the nationwide strike to force Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s government to resign and order early polls.

The opposition party, headed by former premier Sheikh Hasina, accuses Mr Zia’s government of corruption, incompetence and harassment of political opponents.

Mr Zia’s government, which holds a two-thirds majority in parliament, denies the allegations and has vowed to finish its five-year term in 2006.