Police in Bangladesh's capital used tear gas, rubber bullets and batons Monday to disperse thousands of stone-throwing protesters demanding electoral reforms and postponed elections, witnesses and news reports said, according to AP. The clashes left at least 300 people injured, including several policemen, in Dhaka and adjoining areas, the United News of Bangladesh news agency reported. Police officials declined to comment on the injuries. The violence came on the second day of a crippling three-day nationwide transportation blockade, imposed by a 19-party alliance led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The alliance has claimed that the voters' list for the Jan. 22 election has flaws including fake names. The group wants the poll delayed until a problem-free list is available. In an effort to force its demands, the alliance said it planned to keep blocking roads, railways and river routes Tuesday to isolate Dhaka from the rest of the country. But the country's interim leader, President Iajuddin Ahmed, has said he could not change the constitutionally mandated voting date. The Election Commission agreed. «We must hold the polls on schedule to meet constitutional obligations,» Acting Chief Election Commissioner Mahfuzur Rahman told reporters. Under the constitution, the interim government must hold the election within 90 days from Oct. 29, the day it took office because former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's five-year term expired.
