Bangladesh opposition party rejects PM's invitation to join government to oversee election

DHAKA, Bangladesh – Bangladesh's main opposition party has rejected an invitation from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to join what she calls an all-party government to oversee national elections scheduled for January.

Hasina, meanwhile, appointed eight ministers on Monday to an interim election-time administration, including six from outside her party.

The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by Hasina's bitter rival, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, has launched a campaign of general strikes to demand that Hasina resign to allow the formation of a non-partisan caretaker administration to supervise the polls.

Hasina has refused to step down and instead invited Zia to join an all-party government. Zia says the polls could be rigged if Hasina stays in office.

Violence during recent opposition-sponsored protests has left 30 people dead.