Police fire rubbers bullets, teargas to disperse anti-government protesters

(6 Jan 2013) SHOTLIST
1. Wide back shot of opposition BNP (Bangladesh National Party) members protesting against a fuel price hike, smoke rising from ground, UPSOUND: firing
2. Back shot of protesters throwing stones towards the police, UPSOUND: firing
3. Mid of protesters vandalising a bakery
4. More of protesters throwing stones at the police
5. Wide of protester trying to set vehicle on fire, then running
6. Police chasing protesters
7. Police pushing arrested protesters into police van
8. Various of police firing rubber bullets and chasing protesters, smoke billowing after the setting off of handmade bombs
9. Tracking shot of police firing rubber bullets and chasing protesters
10. Protesters vandalising a car
11. Protesters spilling petrol over car
12. Zoom in to car on fire
13. Wide of police trying to extinguish the fire with water
14. Lawyers supporting opposition protesters hurling stones towards the police outside lower court premises
15. Police officer firing rubber bullet towards lawyers
16. More of lawyers hurling stones towards police outside lower court premises
17. Various of police firing rubber bullet towards the lawyers
18. Lawyers protesting, chanting slogans as they march
19. Mid of lawyers trying to open the court gate locked by the police
20. Lawyers chanting slogans in protest
21. Wide of police cordoning off the area
22. Protesters sitting behind BNP office gate
23. SOUNDBITE (Bangla) Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, joint General Secretary of opposition BNP (Bangladesh National Party):
"The government over the past four years has been trying to stop protests by open and secret killings and forced disappearances. They have continued to do so. From our side, we behave in a democratic manner with patience and inspire people to support the strike as a tool of protest against the government's oppressive policies. People have shown their support to us. You see the shops are closed and there are no vehicles in the street."
24. BNP activists vandalising a vehicle
25. Various of deserted street and closed shops
STORYLINE:
Police in Bangladesh fired rubber bullets and tear gas shells on Sunday to disperse protesters trying to enforce a general strike called to denounce a fuel price hike.
An alliance of 18 opposition parties, led by ex-Premier Khaleda Zia, was trying to enforce a dawn-to-dusk on strike Sunday after the government announced a nine percent hike in fuel prices, the fifth increase since 2009.
Sunday is a working day in this Muslim-majority country.
The government said the hike was needed to cut the subsidies - estimated at more than 300 (m) million US dollars a year - it pays on fuel.
Critics said the latest hike will further increase inflation now running at nine percent.
Dhaka's Somoy TV and Independent Television reported that protesters exploded about a dozen homemade bombs - explosives filled in tin pots - in central Dhaka.
At least six vehicles were set on fire.
Police say they used rubber bullets and tear gas to prevent protesters from attacking vehicles that defied the strike.
Nearly 25 people were injured in the clashes, said a police officer speaking on condition of anonymity because he is not authorised to speak to the media.
The strike shut down schools and shops in capital Dhaka, a city of 15 (m) million people.
Most transport went off the streets, but authorities said trains and river ferries operated without any disruptions.
General strikes are a common opposition tactic in Bangladesh to highlight demands.

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...