Bangladesh opposition call to end persecution

The opposition leader in Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, has issued an international appeal for help in ending what she describes as political and religious persecution in her country.

Speaking at the opening of a conference on crimes against humanity, organised by her party, the Awami League, Sheikh Hasina accused the Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led government of harassing its opponents and religious minorities since it came to power following elections in October.

The government has denied the charges.

A number of alleged victims of election-related violence have already spoken at the conference, including a teenage Hindu girl who said she was raped, and one man who said all his fingers had been chopped off.

Yesterday, the conference organisers said that the government had denied visas to foreign human rights activists hoping to attend the conference, although the government denied any visas had been refused.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service