Bangladesh's opposition leader has asked archrival Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to step down over failures in maintaining the economy and law and order.

Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia called for the government's immediate resignation Tuesday at a mass rally in the capital, Dhaka. Tens of thousands of supporters from a four-party alliance led by Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party joined the rally.

Zia says Hasina's government has failed to control commodity prices, has not maintained law and order and has not prevented a fall in the stock market.

Hasina came to power with a landslide 2008 election victory after nearly two years in a state of emergency.