Bangladeshi activists from Hifazat-e-Islam want authorities to enact an anti-blasphemy law.—Photo by AP

DHAKA, Bangladesh: At least 20 people were hurt on Monday in southwestern Bangladesh as a hardline Islamic group enforced a general strike to back its demands for an anti-blasphemy law.   

Police and Somoy TV station said the violence took place in Chittagong city when activists from Hifazat-e-Islam clashed with ruling Awami League supporters.

Police official Abdullahel Baki said the Hifazat-e-Islam protesters threw stones at police and the ruling party supporters.

The TV station reported that one ruling party member was hit by a bullet, but it was not immediately clear who fired it.

The Hifazat-e-Islam protesters also blocked a rail line in eastern Brahmanbaria district to disrupt train services.

The government said it had no plans to enact an anti-blasphemy law or meet other demands from the protesters.

Opinion

Editorial

Digital growth
Updated 25 Apr, 2024

Digital growth

Democratising digital development will catalyse a rapid, if not immediate, improvement in human development indicators for the underserved segments of the Pakistani citizenry.
Nikah rights
25 Apr, 2024

Nikah rights

THE Supreme Court recently delivered a judgement championing the rights of women within a marriage. The ruling...
Campus crackdowns
25 Apr, 2024

Campus crackdowns

WHILE most Western governments have either been gladly facilitating Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza, or meekly...
Ties with Tehran
Updated 24 Apr, 2024

Ties with Tehran

Tomorrow, if ties between Washington and Beijing nosedive, and the US asks Pakistan to reconsider CPEC, will we comply?
Working together
24 Apr, 2024

Working together

PAKISTAN’S democracy seems adrift, and no one understands this better than our politicians. The system has gone...
Farmers’ anxiety
24 Apr, 2024

Farmers’ anxiety

WHEAT prices in Punjab have plummeted far below the minimum support price owing to a bumper harvest, reckless...