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Wednesday, Jan 16, 2013 2:45 PM UTC

Police clash with activists at Bangladesh strike

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Police clash with activists at Bangladesh strikeBangladesh left party activists carry an activist injured during a rally on a rickshaw in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013. Police used pepper spray, water cannons and batons to disperse dozens of activists trying to march through the streets of Bangladesh's capital as part of a nationwide general strike on Wednesday to protest a government fuel price hike. (AP Photo/A.M. Ahad) (Credit: A.m. Ahad)

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Police have used pepper spray and batons to disperse dozens of activists trying to march through the streets of Bangladesh’s capital as part of a nationwide general strike to protest a government fuel price hike.

The six-hour strike Wednesday was called by political parties including the Communist Party of Bangladesh. It disrupted businesses and closed schools.

At the beginning of the year, the government announced a 9 percent hike in fuel prices, the fifth increase since 2009.

Authorities said the hike was needed to cut the cost of subsidies, estimated at more than $300 million a year.

But critics and opposition parties say the hike will further increase inflation now running at 9 percent.

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