Ruling Awami League supporters and their opponents clashed on the second day of sporadic violence in Bangladeshi capital Dhaka.

A heavy police presence on Sunday had foiled an opposition plan for a rally to press the government to scrap next month's election.

Former prime minister Khaleda Zia's main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its allies had planned a mass rally in Dhaka but police barred Ms Zia from leaving her home and cordoned off the demo site.

Ms Zia's home remained cordoned off yesterday.

Meanwhile, female members of the Awami League clashed with a group of lawyers affiliated to the BNP outside the Supreme Court.

They threw stones at each other but no injuries were reported.

Little violence was reported elsewhere in the country despite a BNP call to blockade roads, railways and waterways in retaliation for their rally's shutdown.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said she would go ahead with the election despite the opposition boycott to avoid a constitutional crisis.

The election commission is supporting the polls, citing the constitution that says elections must be held by January 24, 90 days before the government's five-year term expires.

The EU, US and the British Commonwealth have all said that they will not not send observers to the election.

The government has nevertheless insisted that the vote will be credible.

An election watchdog of 29 non-governmental organisations has said it will monitor the vote.