Bangladesh opposition fury over attack on Zia convoy

Bangladesh's opposition accused pro-government supporters today of trying to kill their leader Khaleda Zia after her car was shot at and stoned by a mob while campaigning in Dhaka's mayoral elections.
Although Zia emerged unscathed from last evening's attack, which took place as she stopped to tour a shopping district, supporters voiced alarm at the lack of protection from the official security forces.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina meanwhile accused her arch rival of making an unnecessary "drama" out of the incident which has added to the tensions in the volatile capital ahead of polling on April 28.
Zia, a two-time former premier who leads the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, is hoping that a strong showing in next week's polls will add momentum to her long-running campaign to force new national elections.

After recently ending a lengthy stint holed up in her headquarters, Zia has been campaigning hard in the elections -- the first her party has participated in since it boycotted parliamentary polls in January 2014.
Television footage showed how scores of people attacked Zia's convoy in the Karwan Bazaar district, smashing the windows of a number of vehicles with a combination of rocks, metals rods and staves.

Fazle Elahi Akbar, a retired general who heads the BNP chief's private security team, said shots were fired at Zia's bullet-proofed car while she was inside but stopped short of calling it an assassination attempt.

Several of her own security personnel were injured in the violence, although none seriously.
"Her car was hit by a bullet fired from a pistol from a reasonably close range," Akbar told AFP, saying there were bullet marks on the vehicle.
"If it penetrated it would obviously hit her. She survived because she was in a bullet-proof car."
The BNP said that police in the area had stood idle during the violence.
"We are extremely concerned and we hope the government would take appropriate measures to ensure her security," said Akbar who was with Zia at the time of the attack.

Police confirmed they were investigating reports of a shooting and acknowledged Zia had not been accorded close protection.