Clashes across Bangladesh after rally attack

Clashes between police and opposition supporters erupted across Bangladesh on Sunday in the aftermath of grenade attacks on a…

Clashes between police and opposition supporters erupted across Bangladesh on Sunday in the aftermath of grenade attacks on a rally that killed 17.

Officials said supporters of the opposition Awami League of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina attacked a train, a railway station and damaged cars and shops.

They said opposition supporters stopped a train bound for the capital Dhaka and forced around 600 passengers to alight before setting two empty coaches on fire.

They also ransacked a railway station near the port city of Chittagong today, a day after grenades thrown at a packed opposition rally in Dhaka also wounded 150 people.

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Awami League leaders said the blasts targeted Ms Hasina, who had just finished addressing the meeting. She escaped with minor cuts to her hand but her hearing was impaired by the blasts, doctors and party officials said.

In the tense capital, police used bamboo sticks to chase away groups of Awami League supporters and witnesses said there were some injuries and a number of vehicles damaged.

Nationwide, there were more than 200 arrests.

The Dhaka clashes took place during an Awami League procession to mourn party workers killed in yesterday's attacks. Police said eight people were arrested in Dhaka on suspicion of being connected with the grenade attacks.

More protests were planned for tomorrow. The Awami League has called a two-day national protest strike starting on Tuesday.

Bangladesh has seen a spate of bomb blasts in recent months with police making little headway in tracking down the culprits and political analysts confused about the exact reason for the attacks and who was behind them.