Police in Bangladesh have announced a ban on all political gatherings in the capital Dhaka, as the opposition presses demands for the removal of the country's chief election commissioner.
Authorities imposed the measure as a 14 party alliance threatened to call a nationwide transport strike unless the interim government fires Chief Election Commissioner M.A. Aziz by Sunday.
The opposition says the commissioner is biased against it and fears he could unfairly influence the results in an upcoming election in January.
The main opposition Awami League alliance says that, unless its demands are met, its supporters will paralyze the nation by cutting all Dhaka's road, rail and river links with the rest of the country.
Information for this report is provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
