Opposition activists have been demanding electoral reforms

The stone-throwing protestors marched through the streets as heavy rain fell, demanding electoral reforms ahead of next January's general elections.

An alliance of 14 opposition parties called the protests to demand the resignation of election commissioners.

It accuses the commissioners of a pro-government bias.

Schools, shops and most offices remained closed in response to a country-wide strike called by the opposition alliance.

Hundreds of protestors raised slogans asking the government to carry out the reforms or face more protests.

The alliance has been staging a series of general strikes and street protests in recent months, with many turning violent with clashes between opposition supporters and police.

Under Bangladesh's constitution, the Prime Minister, Khaleda Zia, is to hand over power to a caretaker administration when her five-year term expires in October.

The opposition alliance, led by the former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, alleges that the government is preparing to rig the polls due in January.

Boycott threat

The alliance wants the election commissioner and his deputies to be removed, and wants a say in who will lead the caretaker government - an interim administration that will take over in late October and oversee the polls.

Unless these demands are met, the opposition says it will boycott the elections altogether.

The prime minister has rejected the opposition's demands, saying the Awami League and its allies are trying to disrupt the process because they fear losing.

The former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, KM Hasan, is due to take over as the head of the caretaker administration.

But the opposition parties say he was a member of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party before he was appointed a judge and that they will not accept him.