Police in Dhaka fired rubber bullets and tear gas on Sunday to disperse dozens of stone-throwing protesters who tried to block roads in the capital to demand restoration of caretaker administration to oversee upcoming national elections.
Police and witnesses said at least 25 people were injured during the violence.
A coalition of 18 opposition parties had called for roads to be blocked across the country on Sunday to highlight calls for the restoration of a constitutional provision allowing a nonpartisan caretaker administration to oversee the polls due in 2014.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government scrapped the 15-year-old provision last year after the supreme court ruled it unconstitutional, saying the constitution allows only popularly elected people to run the government.
The opposition, led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, says the change will allow Hasina to rig the election. Hasina denies the allegation.
Violence erupted across Dhaka, with protesters smashing or setting fire to vehicles and trying to block traffic, police and news reports said.