Thousands join anti-government rally in Bangladesh

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Tens of thousands of people have joined an opposition rally in Bangladesh's capital to demand that a nonpartisan caretaker government oversee the next general election.

The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its Islamist ally, Jamaat-e-Islami, are demanding the restoration of a constitutional provision that required incumbent governments to transfer power to a neutral caretaker administration to conduct polls.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government scrapped the 15-year-old system last year.

Many riot police surrounded Monday's rally but no clashes were reported.

The opposition, led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, says elections due in 2014 will be rigged if held under the current government without a caretaker system in place.