Violence continues unabated in Bangladesh, 2 killed

A policeman and an Awami League leader were killed in two separate incidents of violence in Bangladesh hours after the opposition's 83-hour nationwide blockade demanding the scrapping of the January 5 polls ended.
Officials said a bus carrying traffic policemen was set afire at Bangla Motor area of Dhaka by unidentified persons shortly before midnight, instantly killing a constable and injuring the driver.
"As soon as we got on board the bus, there was a huge bang and the vehicle was ablaze...I managed to get down but (my colleague) Ferdous could not and was burnt to death," said constable Faizul Islam, who survived the attack.

Inspector General of Police Hassan Mahmood Khandker said members of law enforcement agencies were being attacked under a plan to cripple the state machinery during protests by opposition parties.
In western Meherpur, an Awami League leader was hacked to death by suspected rival activists late last night, reports said. In Chittagong, two truckers were badly burned after opposition members set fire to a truck.
Meanwhile, two persons who sustained burn injuries earlier this week during the opposition blockade died today at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is boycotting the polls and political violence during nationwide strikes and blockades enforced by an opposition alliance have left over 120 people dead and crippled the economy since November.

Besides the BNP-led 18-party opposition alliance, a key ally of Premier Sheikh Hasina's Awami League party has also boycotted the polls. Hasina, however, insists the vote will go ahead as planned.