Photos: Strikes and protests plague Dhaka, Bangladesh
December 20, 2012
A Bangladeshi laborer pulls a cart full of empty drums during a nationwide strike in Dhaka on December 20, 2012. Twelve Islamic parties called an eight-hour general strike in the capital Dhaka and a dawn-to-dusk general strike across the country as they seek a ban on left-wing political parties. MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images
Two Bangladeshi men walk to work during a half day strike called by Islamic political parties in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012. More than two dozen Islamic parties in Bangladesh want the country to be governed by Sharia, or Islamic law. A coalition of five leftist parties want the Islamic parties to be banned because they oppose the constitutional provision that says Bangladesh be governed by secular law. (AP Photo/A.M. Ahad)
Activists of the Communist Party of Bangladesh hold a rally on a usually busy street during a strike in Dhaka December 18, 2012. The CPB and the Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) called for a countrywide shutdown on Tuesday, demanding a ban on the Jamaat-e-Islami, a radical Islamist party, and for a quicker trial of war criminals, local media reported. REUTERS/Andrew Biraj
Communist Party of Bangladesh activists and leftist party supporters march during a nationwide strike in Dhaka on December 18, 2012. The daylong strike was called by the Communist Party of Bangladesh and Bangladesher Shamajtantrik Dal, demanding a ban on 'all communal political parties' including Jamaat-e-Islami. MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images
A Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) activist looks on at a rally during a nationwide strike in Dhaka on December 18, 2012. The daylong strike was called by the Communist Party of Bangladesh and Bangladesher Shamajtantrik Dal, demanding a ban on 'all communal political parties' including Jamaat-e-Islami. MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images
Bangladesh's opposition Nationalist Party activists sit at the entrance of their office as they are prevented from stepping out by police during a nationwide half-day strike in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012. A coalition of 18 opposition parties was enforcing the strike to demand that the caretaker government be restored before the next national elections due in 2014. A key coalition partner is also pressing for freedom of its leaders facing charges of crimes against humanity involving 1971 independence war against Pakistan. The protest is led by Bangladesh Nationalist Party. (AP Photo/A.M. Ahad)
Activists of Islamic political parties shout slogans as they try to enforce a half-day nationwide strike in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012. More than two dozen Islamic parties in Bangladesh want the country to be governed by Sharia, or Islamic law. A coalition of five leftist parties want the Islamic parties to be banned because they oppose the constitutional provision that says Bangladesh be governed by secular law. (AP Photo/A.M. Ahad)
A police officer fires tear gas as they clash with activists of Bangladesh Nationalist Party during a strike in Dhaka on December 13, 2012. Bangladesh's opposition alliance, led by former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, called for an eight-hours nationwide strike, two days after another violent strike, to press home its demand for immediate release of its acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and in protest against the killings and arrests of opposition activists during their Sunday's road blockade program, local media reported. REUTERS/Andrew Biraj
Lawyers loyal to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party shout slogans as they protest in the premises of the Dhaka Judge Court during a strike in Dhaka on December 11, 2012. At least 134 were detained during a countrywide general strike on Tuesday as activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led 18-party alliance clashed with police and vandalized vehicles. The 18-party alliance enforced the shutdown protesting against government obstruction during their countrywide road blockade program on Sunday, local media reported. REUTERS/Andrew Biraj
The painted fingernails of a female Bangladeshi elite force Rapid Action battalion member is pictured along with her weapon as she and other personnel stand guard in front of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party office during a nationwide strike in Dhaka on December 11, 2012. Bangladesh was shut down for a second day in less than a week as the opposition parties enforced a nationwide strike demanding early elections under a neutral caretaker government. MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images
A police officer looks on as she stands with fellow officers in front of the head office of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party during a strike in Dhaka on December 13, 2012. Bangladesh's opposition alliance, led by former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, called for an eight-hours nationwide strike, two days after another violent strike, to press home its demand for immediate release of its acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and in protest against the killings and arrests of opposition activists during Sunday's road blockade program, local media reported. REUTERS/Andrew Biraj
Activists of Bangladesh Nationalist Party shout slogans in front of their party office during a strike in Dhaka December 13, 2012. Bangladesh's opposition alliance, led by former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, called for a eight-hours nationwide strike, two days after another violent strike, to press home its demand for immediate release of its acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and in protest against the killings and arrests of opposition activists during their Sunday's road blockade program, local media reported. REUTERS/Andrew Biraj
Bangladesh's largest Islamic party Jamaat-e-Islami activists block a road with burning tires during a nationwide strike on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2012. The opposition Jamaat-e-Islami party called the strike to demand authorities halt trials of its top leaders on charges of crimes against humanity during the 1971 independence war against Pakistan. (AP Photo)
People look at a truck after activists of different radical Islamist parties vandalized it during a strike in Dhaka on December 20, 2012. Four of 12 radical like-minded Islamist parties have called for a nationwide dawn to dusk strike on Thursday, to protest against the efforts of the left parties to seek a ban on "religion-based parties". REUTERS/Andrew Biraj
A member of the Rapid Action Battalion inspects a burnt bus after activists of Bangladesh's Jamaat-e-Islami party set fire to it during a strike in Dhaka on December 4, 2012. About 100 Jamaat-e-Islami activists were arrested and 25 injured during a day-long strike by the largest Islamic party in the country on Tuesday as a part of their continuing protest for the release of their senior leaders who are facing trial against war crimes and crimes against humanity, local media reported. REUTERS/Andrew Biraj
A bangladeshi rickshaw puller cycles past the cloud of a smoke bomb during a nationwide strike in Dhaka on December 11, 2012. Bangladesh was shut down for a second day in less than a week as the opposition parties enforced a nationwide strike demanding early elections under a neutral caretaker government. MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images
A Bangladeshi security vehicle patrols during a half day strike called by Islamic political parties in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2012. More than two dozen Islamic parties in Bangladesh want the country to be governed by Sharia, or Islamic law. A coalition of five leftist parties want the Islamic parties to be banned because they oppose the constitutional provision that says Bangladesh be governed by secular law. (AP Photo/A.M. Ahad)
A worker cleans fuel cylinders atop a bus which is parked along with others those stopped plying due to a nationwide strike in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. Explosions of homemade bombs were reported across the Bangladeshi capital Tuesday as opposition activists enforcing a daylong general strike rioted and clashed with police. (AP Photo/ A.M. Ahad)
Bangladeshi policemen detain an opposition activist, center, in front of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist party office during a nationwide half-day strike in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012. Homemade bombs exploded in Bangladesh's capital and police fired tear gas at demonstrators as opposition parties enforced a general strike on Thursday, demanding that the government restore an election-time caretaker administration. (AP Photo/A.M. Ahad)
A member of a coalition of five leftist parties sits on a road holding his party flag during a nationwide strike in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2012. A general strike to demand that Muslim-majority Bangladesh ban Islamic political parties shut down schools and stores and disrupted traffic in the capital on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Pavel Rahman)
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