Bangladesh opposition party rallies to demand a new election
Thousands of activists and opposition leaders from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party have rallied in the capital, Dhaka
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Thousands of activists and leaders of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party rallied Tuesday in the nation’s capital to demand a democratic transition through an election as an interim government has yet to outline a timeframe for new voting.
The supporters gathered in front of BNP headquarters in Dhaka, where they chanted slogans demanding a new election.
The interim government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has rolled out a number of plans to reform various sectors of the country, from the Election Commission to financial institutions. But major political parties — including the BNP, which is headed by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia — want the new election sometime soon.
Yunus took the helm after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country during a mass uprising last month, ending a 15-year stint in power. The protests began in July and morphed into an anti-government movement. Hasina has been living in India since. The country's powerful military is playing a crucial role in running the administration, which faces a number of challenges including worker unrest in its garment industry sector, unstable law and order, and an uncertain economy.
