Anti-government strike hits Bangladesh's capital

An anti-government strike has closed schools and stores and disrupted traffic in Bangladesh's capital.

Opposition groups, led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, called for Sunday's dawn-to-dusk general strike to protest government moves to amend the constitution. The government wants to repeal a provision that requires it to hand over power at the end of its term to a nonpartisan caretaker administration to oversee elections.

Police say the strike shut down schools and shops in Dhaka, a city of 12 million people. Most buses and cars were off the roads.

No strike-related violence was reported Sunday, a working day in Bangladesh. But police say protesters set fire to at least 11 buses Saturday.
 

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.