The government of Bangladesh on Monday called out riot police to control the second day of demonstrations by opposition groups demanding electoral reforms.

A Bangladeshi protester confronts in Dhaka on Monday. A Bangladeshi protester confronts in Dhaka on Monday.
(Pavel Rahman/Associated Press)

Fourteen parties, including the second largest in the country, the Awami League, on Sunday launched a three-day protest to isolate the capital, Dhaka, until the interim government changes the election rules.

The "mega-combine," as the opposition alliance calls itself, is trying to block roads, railways and river routes into Dhaka until the government agrees to delay "a farcical unilateral national election" Jan. 22, its English-language website says.

It also wants Bangaldesh's interim leader, President Iajuddin Ahmed, to appoint a non-partisan person to run elections. The opposition claims Iajuddin wants to fix the vote in favour of his chosen candidate, former prime minister Khaleda Zia.

(CBC)(CBC)

"We will not allow anybody to hold a farcical election without a flawless, corrected updated voter list in the soil of Bangladesh," opposition leader Tofail Ahmed said.

Iajuddin has said he cannot change the election date, which was established by the constitution.

12,000 on patrol, 5,000 demonstrators

The Associated Press estimated 5,000 demonstrators clashed with riot police in Dhaka on Monday. Up to 12,000 security personnel are on patrol. The opposition says the government has called out elite soldiers to control the protest. 

As many as 300 people were injured Monday, the United News of Bangladesh said. About 100 people were hurt in the Sunday demonstration, newspapers reported.

But the opposition website said 400 were injured and 200 arrested on Sunday alone.

Traffic in the capital slowed to a crawl on Monday, and schools and businesses closed.

Police used tear gas, rubber bullets and batons as protesters tried to enter central Dhaka. Demonstrators set vehicles on fire, exploded homemade bombs, threw stones and stopped trains by squatting on the tracks, the Associated Press said.

There were no reports of deaths Monday, but political protests have left 34 dead since October.

The opposition said the protests will continue for a third day on Tuesday.
  

With files from the Associated Press