Police Saturday banned all weapons from marches in Dhaka as two more political activists were shot dead in Bangladesh's unabated political violence, officials said.
The Dhaka police said it was immediately banning all weapons, including guns, knives and sticks, from rallies or marches in the capital.
The step, it said, was taken "in the interest of public security."
Earlier this week, police banned the carrying of licensed arms across Bangladesh as part of its efforts to hold peaceful elections.
But violence continued Saturday, with a local leader from the Awami League party shot dead in the port city of Narayanganj. Police said they were investigating the killing of Suleman Prodhan.
And in the Dhaka suburb of Uttara, an Awami League youth leader was killed. Police said they have not identified the attackers but believe the slaying was politically motivated.
At least 44 people have been killed in political violence since July 15, when a caretaker government headed by Latifur Rahman took charge from prime minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed, head of the Awami League, with a mandate to hold new elections by October 11.
Meanwhile, the troubled southeastern Bangladesh district of Feni was tense following a police curfew and house-to-house raid Friday after a spate of political violence, officials said. There were no reports of arrests or violence.
Feni, which has a reputation for political unrest, is the hometown of former premier Khaleda Zia of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Sheikh Hasina's archfoe.
Feni is also home to Zainal Hazari, a controversial former MP of the rival Awami League who is also known as the "Godfather of Feni".
Hazari is on the country's wanted list and his house was among those searched by police Friday.
Sheikh Hasina blasted Rahman's government for the search, saying that while the BNP and its allies "carried out terrorist activities, the government was harassing Awami League workers on different excuses."
Asked why she was angry about the incident, a party spokesman told AFP that the government targetted only Hazari, while his BNP rival V.P. Jainal had a similar reputation but was "untouched" in the raid.
In a statement, Sheikh Hasina demanded the arrest of Zia's elder son and prospective BNP candidate Tareq Rahman, her brother Syed Iskander and several other BNP leaders, accusing them of "terrorist activities."
Sheikh Hasina is to launch her election campaign after returning home Wednesday after a three-day pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
The caretaker government has come under criticism by the Awami League and other parties as well as by most newspapers for taking controversial decisions.
The government insists it is only acting to create a conducive atmosphere for free and neutral elections -- DHAKA (AFP)
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