The leaders of Ganatantra Mancha, a platform of some opposition parties, on Tuesday alleged that police obstructed their peaceful mass contact and leaflet distribution programme in the city’s Motijheel area.

When the leaders and workers of the platform started marching towards Hatkhola from Shapla Chattar in Motijheel,  police stopped them around 12:30pm.

At one stage, a clash broke out between the opposition leaders and workers and the law enforcers, leaving some followers of Ganatantra Mancha injured.

Later, the leaders and workers of the opposition platform concluded their programme by staging a demonstration there.

Talking to reporters, the Chief coordinator of Ganosamhati Andolon, Junaid Saki,  said the police created a terrible situation by obstructing their peaceful mass contact programme.

“This is the attitude of the police force of the fascist regime. We strongly condemn such behaviour of the police,” he said.

Saki said the government wants to suppress voice of the people by using the police in such a way. “But they won’t be able to gain anything as people have taken to the streets. They (govt) will be swept away by the mass wave of people.”

Earlier, police also intercepted the leaders and workers of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Rab) at around 11am when they brought out a procession from Motijheel’sToynbee Circular Road towards Bangladesh Bank.

The police reportedly took away the banners of the marchers and resorted to batons to disperse them.

JSD vice-president Tania Rab said police swopped on the leaders and workers of their party as they were peacefully going to participate in the Ganatantra Mancha’s mass contact programme.

“The police took away our banners and beat up our leaders and activists without any provocation. The police force of a country showed such brutality toward peaceful people and misbehaved with our leaders. I have no suitable words to condemn it.”

Meanwhile, Ganatantra Mancha leaders had a brief rally in front of Bangladesh Bank before starting their mass campaign to drum up public support in favour of boycotting the national election slated for January 7.

Addressing the programme, Biplobi Workers Party General Secretary Saiful Haque said the government is using the police and administration as its party organizations to hold a dummy election on January 7.

“Awami League now wants to take the people to the polling stations by police and different government forces and intelligence agencies. “You (govt) have to face the historical consequences of dictatorship.”