Dhaka: Police fired tear gas at protesters who attacked vehicles as a strike called by the opposition to demand the Government's ouster shut down Dhaka for the second day on Wednesday.
The strike was called by an opposition alliance to press its campaign for electoral reforms and demand that Prime Minister Khaleda Zia step down for early polls.
The 14-party alliance, led by former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, sponsored the 36-hour shutdown due to end at 1200 GMT on Wednesday.
Police used tear gas after around 100 activists smashed several vehicles for defying the strike in Dhaka's central Mahakhali district, in which 15 people were injured.
In Kamrangirchair, just outside Dhaka, riot police used batons and tear gas to battle around 500 opposition activists who threw rocks at security forces and smashed several vehicles.
Police detained several demonstrators in both Dhaka and Kamrangirchair.
Similar clashes on Tuesday left at least about 50 people injured in Dhaka and nearby Narayanganj town.
The opposition alliance accused Zia's Government of influencing the election commission to guarantee its victory in the next election, due in January 2007.
Zia's Government denied the allegations and she has vowed to stay in power until her five-year term expires in October.
After her term expires, Zia is to hand over power to a non-partisan caretaker administration to supervise the election, according to the constitution.
General strikes are a common opposition tactic in Bangladesh to press political demands and harass the Government.
The opposition has held a series of strikes and street protests in recent months.
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