Police, BNP activists clash in Dhanmondi

A chase and counter-chase took place between police and BNP leaders and activists in front of Shimanto Square in Dhanmondi area of the city on Tuesday, reports UNB.
Witnesses said leaders and activists of BNP held a prescheduled march programme in Dhanmondi area in the afternoon to press home their 10-point demand including holding the next general election under a non-party caretaker government.
After the end of the march, they brought out a procession that ended at Science Lab intersection.
When they were marching towards City College, a chase and counter- chase took place with police around 4 pm, triggering a clash.
Later, police lobbed teargas shells and charged batons to disperse the BNP men.
The BNP activists also hurled brick chips targeting police, said Deputy Commissioner of Ramna division of DMP Md Ashraf Hossain.
A number of vehicles were vandalised and a vehicle was set on fire during the clash.
Meanwhile, members of law enforcement agencies cordoned off the BNP's Rajshahi office at Malopara in the city and restricted gathering of people and movement of vehicles around the area on Tuesday.
Police and Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams were deployed in the area on Tuesday morning.
They positioned themselves at the entrance to the BNP office, barring entry to anyone while owners of nearby shops were compelled to keep their shutters down, resulting in cancellation of BNP's scheduled march programme.