Bangladesh court denies bail plea of opposition leaders

Dhaka: A Dhaka court on Wednesday turned down the petition for bail of 33 stalwarts of the main opposition party, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and the BNP-led 18-party alliance partners who were charged with masterminding violence during an opposition-led stoppage last month.

Witnesses said BNP's acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and the other leaders were denied bail as they appeared at the heavily guarded court complex at downtown Dhaka.

Police in riot gear chased activists as they turned violent after the court's order was handed down and as Alamgir and other leaders were whisked to prison vans which took them to Dhaka Central Jail under heavy security escort.

Television footage showed Alamgir and other leaders chanting anti-government slogans as police struggled to escort them to prison vans as their supporters scuffled with police.

The BNP called for a general strike to protest the verdict.