Police and witnesses said all public transport in Chittagong and the surrounding districts was affected, causing major disruption.

The dawn-to-dusk protest strike, called by the Chittagong chapter of the Bangladesh Transport Workers Federation, halted the movement of goods to and from the country's main sea port and resulted in the cancellation of bus services to the capital Dhaka and other cities, they said.

But private vehicles were allowed to operate on Friday, a weekly holiday in Bangladesh.

Further anti-war protests by Islamist and other groups were held after Friday prayers in Dhaka, where last week American offices came under attack.

More than 5,000 activists from the Islamic Shashantantra Andolon (Constitution Movement) demonstrated and the group's firebrand Muslim clerics warned Anglo-American leaders of a possible backlash for their "unjust invasion" of Iraq.

Security was tight after last week's protests turned violent and because of the start of a 10-day tri-nation cricket tournament at the Bangabandhu National Stadium with the opening match between India and host Bangladesh.

Bangladesh, the world's third largest Muslim majority country, has repeatedly called for an end to the war and has seen almost daily anti-US and anti-war protests.

SPACE.WIRE