Riot police battle Islamists in Dhaka Bangladesh
Footage shows police using tear gas and rubber bullets against activists, as Jill McGivering reports
Clashes between police and Islamist protesters in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka have left at least three people dead and 60 injured.
Up to half a million protesters gathered in the city, where rioters set fire to shops and vehicles as police fought to contain them.
Thousands of activists from Hefajat-e-Islam blocked highways, isolating Dhaka from other parts of the country.
They are calling for those who insult Islam to face the death penalty.
They also want greater segregation of men and women, as well as the imposition of stricter Islamic education.
The group's opposition to a national development policy for women has angered women's groups.
Hefajat-e-Islam draws its strength from the country's madrassahs, or religious schools.
But the government, which describes Bangladesh as a secular democracy, has rejected the group's demand for a new law on blasphemy.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said current legislation was adequate.
'Hang atheists'
Chanting "Allahu Akbar!" ("God is greatest!") and "One point! One demand! Atheists must be hanged", the activists marched down at least six main roads, AFP news agency reported.
They headed for Motijheel, the city's main commercial district.
The area around the city centre's largest mosque turned into a battleground as police reacted to stone-throwing rioters with tear gas, rubber bullets and truncheons.
Continue reading the main story
Three people have been killed and more than 60 injured in continuing clashes between police and Islamist activists in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka
Three people were killed, the BBC Bengali service reported, with at least one dying of gunshot wounds.
Reports spoke of some 60 people being injured, including two local TV journalists.
A Hefajat-e-Islam activist, Hossain Soliman Abdullah, said the main aim of the protest was to press for the implementation of a 13-point demand inspired by the Koran.
Dhaka's Daily Star newspaper reports that the group hired at least 3,000 vehicles, including buses, lorries and minibuses to bring demonstrators into the capital, while others travelled there by train.
On Friday, Mr Hasina said the government had already met many of the group's demands.
"Many of these have already been implemented while some are in the process," she was quoted as telling the Daily Star.
She said the government had already arrested four bloggers for making "derogatory comments" against the Prophet Muhammad and they would be prosecuted if found guilty.
Muslims make up nearly 90% of the country's population with the rest mostly Hindus.
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