Dhaka: Former military dictator Hussain Muhammad Ershad's Jatiya Party today joined the Bangladesh Awami League-led 14-party alliance in enforcing a day-long general strike across Bangladesh to push for level-playing field in upcoming polls.

Police and security personnel were out in force in capital Dhaka and elsewhere to check violence.

This is for the first time since 1991 that a caretaker government is facing a general strike.

The shutdown, which started at 6:00 am (local time), was announced during a rally of the 14-party alliance, JP and Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

Vehicles carrying Haj pilgrims, ambulances, newspaper vehicles, drug stores, garbage carrying vehicles and other emergency vehicles would remain outside the purview of today's shutdown, the strikers said.

As per the previous election schedule, the last date for filing nomination papers was yesterday but the Election Commission extended the date for nomination filing to December 24 keeping January 22 election day unchanged.