Two dead in protests against the government in Bangladesh

Clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces in Bangladesh have resulted in the deaths of at least two people and left dozens injured. The violence occurred during protests in the capital city of Dhaka, where demonstrators called for the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in anticipation of upcoming elections in January. The police confirmed that the deceased individuals were affiliated with the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), but did not provide further details. According to BNP official Shariful Alam, the two activists were allegedly shot and killed by the police while attending a rally in the central district of Kishoreganj on Tuesday, which marked the first day of three days of planned protests organized by the BNP. The Dhaka Times reported that approximately 50 people, including 15 police officers, sustained injuries during the clashes. The Kishoreganj police chief stated that BNP activists initiated an attack on the police, prompting the authorities to fire in self-defense. The opposition argues that a fair and free election is not feasible under Prime Minister Hasina's leadership. In related events, a rally in Dhaka held on Saturday was broken up by the police, resulting in one officer's death and over 100 injuries. On Sunday, BNP secretary-general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and more than 150 other party members were charged by the authorities regarding the aforementioned incident. Since October 21, the Dhaka police reported the arrest and charging of at least 1,480 opposition activists for acts of violence. The BNP claims that this figure is closer to 3,000. The United Nations' Human Rights Commissioner expressed deep concern over the recent unrest and urged all political actors to denounce such violence. Prime Minister Hasina, who has been in power since 2009, has faced allegations of targeting political opponents, which she denies. Additionally, clashes between Bangladeshi police and thousands of garment workers demanding fair wages also occurred on Tuesday. Officers used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the striking workers who had blocked roads and damaged factories producing clothes for leading Western brands.