Students vow ‘complete shutdown’ in Bangladesh after days of violent protest

Police fired tear gas shells and rubber bullets to disperse students at the university campus in Dhaka (Rajib Dhar/AP)

People stayed at home and many shopping centres were closed in Bangladesh’s capital on Thursday as protesters attempted to impose a “complete shutdown” after days of student demonstrators violently clashing with police and ruling party-backed student activists.

Traffic was thin on Dhaka’s usually clogged streets. Offices and banks opened, but commuters said transport was limited.