BNP’s sit-in programme at the key entry points of Dhaka was marred by clashes and violence on Saturday, leaving an unspecified number of people injured.

Several vehicles were torched in different areas, including Matuail and Shyamoli, during the clashes between BNP activists and police.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) said they arrested at least 90 opposition leaders and activists while 20 law enforcers were injured during the clashes.

Clashes broke out between BNP leaders, activists and police when the opposition activists gathered at several entry points of Dhaka to observe their five-hour sit-in programme.

Also read: 2 buses set on fire during BNP activists' clash with police in Dhaka’s Jatrabari

The opposition leaders and activists locked in clashes with police at Dholaikhal, Uttara, Matuail, Rayerbag and Gabtoli when they took position there observing their scheduled programme.

Police picked up several BNP leaders, including senior leaders Gayeshwar Chandra Roy and Amanullah Aman, as they tried to observe a sit-in program in different areas. Later, they were released.

Despite the heavy presence of law enforcers, BNP leaders and activists gathered at several entry points of the capital, fueling the fear of clashes and violence.

Several hundred BNP leaders and activists thronged one side of the road in Old Dhaka's Dholaikhal around 11 am. They chanted anti-government slogans.

BNP was supposed to hold the programme in Old Dhaka's Nayabazar. As Awami League leaders and workers took a position there, they gathered in Dholaikhal area, about one and a half kilometres away from Nayabazar.

BNP leaders and activists engaged in a clash with law enforcers at Dholaikhal intersection around 11:30 am. At one stage, police fired teargas and charged with batons on the opposition activists who retaliated with brickbats.

Also read: Gayeshwar, Aman among BNP leaders and activists detained by police after clashes 

BNP leaders and activists engaged in a clash with law enforcers at Dholaikhal intersection around 11:30 am. At one stage, police lobbed teargas shells and charged batons on the opposition activists who retaliated with brickbats.

Police also beat up BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, leaving him injured. The law enforcers later picked him up from the spot.

Police also picked up BNP’s Dhaka north city unit convener Amanullah Aman from Gabtoli Bus Station around 12 pm as he along with BNP activists tried to stage a sit-in there.

Aman, together with the opposition activists, gathered in front of Khalek Paribahan bus counter around 11 am while the ruling party activists took a position at a close distance.

Also read: PM’s asst pvt secy Hafizur visits BNP leader Aman at hospital at her instruction

At one stage, police asked Aman and the BNP men to leave the area. As Aman declined, a clash broke out between the opposition activists and police.

At one point, Aman laid down on the road in front of Nabil Paribahan on Mazar Road, but law enforcers put him in a police van. They also detained five other BNP activists on the spot.

Police also beat up BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, leaving him injured. The law enforcers later picked him up from the spot and took him to the Rajarbagh Police Hospital.

After giving him treatment at the hospital, the BNP leader was taken to the headquarters of the Detective Branch (DB) of police. Later, he was released and brought to his office at Nayapaltan safely by the DB police around 3:30pm

Later, in a video that went viral on social media on Saturday, it was shown that BNP leader Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, after being detained, was seen having lunch with Chief of Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Mohammad Harun-Or-Rashid.

Also read: Clashes break out between BNP men and police at several entry points of Dhaka

Police also picked up BNP’s Dhaka north city unit convener Amanullah Aman from Gabtoli Bus Station around 12 pm as he along with BNP activists tried to stage a sit-in there.

Aman, together with the opposition activists, gathered in front of Khalek Paribahan bus counter around 11 am while the ruling party activists took a position at a close distance.

At one stage, police asked Aman and the BNP men to leave the area. As Aman declined, a clash broke out between the opposition activists and police.

At one point, Aman laid down on the road in front of Nabil Paribahan on Mazar Road, but law enforcers put him in a police van. They also detained five other BNP activists from the scene.

Aman was taken to National Heart Institute Hospital for treatment where Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina sent food, fruits and juices for him.

At the instruction of the prime minister, Assistant Private Secretary-2 Gazi Hafizur Rahman (Liku) visited Aman at the hospital.

Aman left the hospital around 4pm and got admitted to Evercare Hospital.

Several hundred BNP leaders and workers also converged on Matuail Matri Sadan Hospital with sticks around 11:10 am. Police tried to disperse them with tear gas and rubber bullets and using water cannons, leaving some people injured.

Police also foiled the sit-ins by the BNP activists in Shonir Akhra and Rayerbagh areas.

A clash also took place between police and opposition leaders and workers in front of the BNS Centre in Uttara. The BNP leaders and workers thronged the area around 11:15 am and party leaders started addressing the gathering. Police asked them to vacate the area, but they continued the programme, forcing the law enforcers to go into action to disperse them. The police chased the opposition activists and lobbed teargas shells at them, leaving some BNP leaders and activists and journalists injured.

Meanwhile, Awami League activists reportedly attacked a procession of BNP leaders and workers near Gabtoli around 12 pm, leaving two people injured.

BNP activists also clashed with the police on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway in Siddhirganj of Narayanganj.

The clash ensued as police prevented the opposition activists from observing their sit-in programme on the highway around 12pm, leaving 15 people injured.

A large number of law enforcers have been deployed at the key entry points of Dhaka centring BNP’s sit-ins as Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) on Friday night said it would not allow the party to hold their programme.

Earlier on Friday, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced from their mammoth grand rally at Nayapaltan that they will stage a five-hour sit-in programme at all the important entry points of the capital on Saturday to press home their one-point demand.

"Our programme will be completely peaceful. Observing this programme is our constitutional right,” the BNP leader told the rally.

A bus was set on fire in front of the Gonoshasthaya Kendra on the Ashulia-Aricha Highway in Savar.

"Miscreants set fire to the bus at the Niribili area in front of the Gonoshasthaya Kendra. We will investigate the matter," said Kamruzzaman, officer-in-charge of Ashilia Police Station.