Police fired teargas and rubber bullets at demonstrators gathered for the second consecutive day in Bangladesh's capital, Dhaka.

Opposition protesters organised rallies blocking major roads into Dhaka as they called for prime minister Sheikh Hasina to give power to a caretaker government ahead of elections next year.

Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, the Bangladesh National party's senior joint secretary general, said: 'We are following the democratic ways for a peaceful event.

We are conducting our event with the people and our supporters.

They may hit us.

But we will stay strong on our demand.' Clashes broke out between different opposition groups and police when the force moved in to disperse the crowds.

This article first appeared/also appeared in theguardian.com