Police went into action as the procession tried to break through police barricade after a rally on the party office premises, protesting the activities of militant groups in the country, repeated grenade attacks and price spiral of essentials.

The agitating opposition activists threw stones and damaged a number of passenger buses during a nearly half an hour clash with police that broke out soon after 5:00 pm.

Two policemen were injured in the clash. Sergeant B Amin had a fracture in his left hand and Faruk Hossain, a nayek, in his legs.

Mirza Azam was given first aid for head injury.

Of the other injured, 20 were sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. All are Jubo League workers of different ward units in the city.

To protest the police action, Jubo League will stage demonstrations across the country tomorrow, its Chairman Jahangir Kabir Nanok said.

He accused police of attacking their peaceful procession without any provocation.

Earlier, addressing the rally, leaders of the AL and its youth front warned of tough programmes if the government tries to hinder their planned March 2 rally in the capital where opposition leader Sheikh Hasina is likely to announce the next phase of the oust-government movement.

Fall of the BNP-Jamaat-led coalition government is now only a matter of time, they said and urged opposition workers and members of the public to intensify the current movement to end the misrule of the alliance.

The leaders accused the government of harbouring religious extremist groups and said anti-liberation forces want to avenge their defeat in 1971 by turning the country into a dysfunctional state.

Speakers at the rally included AL Joint Secretary Obaidul Quader, Organising Secretary Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Jahangir Kabir Nanok and Mirza Azam. City unit Jubo League leader Mohiuddin Mohi presided.