Tens of thousands of Bangladeshi opposition supporters defy monsoon rains to join a huge protest in the capital Dhaka demanding the prime minister's resignation ahead of next year's elections. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) says its members have been subject to a renewed crackdown and has accused the ruling Awami League of planning to rig the polls, due by January. It is demanding that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina step down and allow the appointment of a caretaker government to ensure the vote is conducted fairly. "I came here on my crutches... so that Bangladesh remains safe from that killer Hasina," 36-year-old protester Tanzina Maya tells AFP. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES