Clubbing by police to break up processions and chases and counter-chases between AL adherents and law enforcers were reported in the capital during the hartal that came after the killing of advocate Monzurul Imam, Khulna city AL president. Police picked up about 30 AL activists during hartal hours.

In Bogra, former lawmaker and Bogra district Sramik League General Secretary Quamrun Nahar Putul and nine other opposition leaders were beaten allegedly by the ruling party men.

Witnesses said a group of demonstrators from an anti-hartal procession of the ruling BNP and its front organisations attacked the district AL and its front organisations' offices at Satmatha in town at about 10:30am in the presence of police, leaving the ten leaders injured.

The hartal protesters damaged office furniture and the portrait of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and activists of the BNP student chapter, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, attacked Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists with bamboo sticks at about 11:45am.

The hartal scenes in Dhaka were marked by thin movement of motorised vehicles and closure of businesses, shopping malls and academic institutions. But activities in government offices went on with poor attendance of staff.

A rickshaw-puller, Kabil Hossain, was seriously injured in the explosion of a handmade bomb at Jurain at about 11:00am. The 44-year-old man was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Armed policemen mounted guard at various points against any untoward incident and put barbed-wire fences on the roads to the AL central office on Bangabandhu Avenue.

Police clubbed a procession led by former home minister Mohammad Nasim in front of New Model Degree College after it marched a few yards from Sobhanbagh at about 11:00am. The police attack injured at least 10 hartal supporters and five pickets were rounded up.

Protesting the police attack, Nasim and his party workers staged a sit-in near Russell Square until 4:00pm.

The law enforcers assaulted Firoz Chowdhury, a photojournalist of the Daily Prothom Alo, when he tried to take snaps of the demonstration.

AL leaders Abdus Samad Azad and Obaidul Kader, addressing a rally at Russell Square, protested the police attack on hartal supporters and demanded release of the arrestees.

Earlier, twin interceptions of a Jubo Mohila League procession with baton-charges -- at 8:30am and 8:50am -- on Dhanmondi Road No. 32 left at least 12 women workers injured.

Leaders and workers of Mohila Awami League faced a barricade by police in front of the High Court at about 10:30am when they tried to march in a procession. They scuffled with police but remained confined to the High Court area for hours on end after a chase by policewomen.

Police dispersed the leaders and workers of Shechchha Sebok League and the BCL at 9:05am and 9:30am, as they tried to bring out processions from Bangabandhu Avenue. Police picked up eight demonstrators.

However, AL leaders Matia Chowdhury, Sultan Mohammad Monsur, Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin and Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, among others, brought out a procession from the party central office.

At 1:50pm, police picked up at least five Olama League leaders, including its president Ismail Hossain, from a pro-hartal procession near Bangabandhu Avenue and beat up other leaders.

Our Staff Correspondent from Chittagong adds: Police and witnesses said two crude bombs exploded when a big procession of hartal supporters, led by city Mayor and general secretary of the city unit of the AL ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, was heading towards the Central Shaheed Minar from Darul Fazal market at noon.

A mob angry at the explosion torched two autorickshaws in Nandankanon area. But no casualty was reported, police said.