Hundreds of activists of the Islamic Hizbut Tahrir group staged anti-blasphemy protests in central Dhaka on Friday, resulting in clashes with riot police, witnesses told Deutsche Presse Agentur (dpa). At least 50 people were injured as police used sticks and fired teargas shells to drive the protesters from the streets. Clashes erupted as police tried to stop about 500 Muslim protesters streaming out of the main Baitul Mokarram mosque in the capital city to join a street demonstration. A local TV channel showed pictures of the fighting which broke out after Friday's Jummah prayers in the mosque. The violence intensified as the protesters began a march on the heavily-guarded Danish embassy in Dhaka's diplomatic enclave. The marchers dispersed in the face of stiff resistance from the police. The demonstrations were called to protest against the blasphemous cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed published in Denmark, triggering a worldwide wage of outrage by Muslims. --SP 20 35 Local Time 17 35 GMT
