Anti-government strike shuts down Bangladesh cities and towns

DHAKA, Bangladesh - A general strike ordered by Bangladesh's main opposition party to protest new taxes shut down schools and shops and brought traffic to a halt across the country Sunday.\nThe authorities deployed 5,000 police and paramilitary troops to prevent violence in the capital Dhaka, a city of 9 million people.\nThere were no immediate reports of trouble, but Saber Hoosain Chowdhury, a spokesman for the main opposition party, the Awami League, said dozens of protesters were arrested in Dhaka.