Shoot at sight order ahead of B'desh oppn protest

Bangladeshi authorities on Wednesday issued “shoot at sight” orders as main opposition BNP and its allies in 18-party coalition enforced a nationwide 36-hour strike demanding resignation of the ruling Awami League government.

“Orders have been issued to shoot at sight the saboteurs who will be seen setting on fire the trains or buses or carrying out sabotages of different other types as Home Minister Mahiuddin Khan Alamgir met with senior officers of police and other law enforcement agencies ahead of the hartal,” the mass circulation Prothom Alo newspaper reported.

Alamgir or police chief Hassan Mahmud Khandaker were not available immediately for comments but officials familiar with the “emergency meeting” said the law enforcement agencies were asked to take stern action against the “troublemakers”.

“We have asked the law enforcement agencies to take appropriate action considering the situation at the scenes,” state minister Shamsul Haque Tuku told a newspaper without elaboration. The order came after suspected opposition activists torched at least nine vehicles and damaged several others on Tuesday.