The ministry of home affairs also apprehend that attacks on the opposition's road march programme may occur that aims to deteriorate the law and order situation and lead the country to anarchy.

Meanwhile, police have arrested around 2,000 people, mostly opposition activists, across the country yesterday.

The opposition has already accused the government of conspiring to foil the programme by carrying out 'grenade attacks'.

At a preparatory meeting on Sunday, AL Joint General Secretary Obaidul Quader said grenade attacks might be carried out to foil the road march programme. He also said the ruling party cadres might take to the streets to foil the programme.

He said the government would be responsible if any attacks were carried out or any untoward incidents took place.

The state minister for home affairs at an emergency meeting with the top officials of law enforcement agencies on Sunday directed them to deploy members of police and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) to keep close eyes on the proceedings so that no untoward incidents took place during the opposition programme.

Sources said around 10,000 law enforcers will be deployed to maintain law and order.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) on Sunday requested people not to carry sticks, sharp weapons or explosives during the 14-party opposition combine's road march programme. The restrictions have been imposed to keep law and order in the city and ensuring security to public life and property, said a DMP press release.

The opposition alliance announced the six-day road march from today to July 30 aiming to involve thousands of people in the street agitation to compel the BNP-Jamaat alliance government to accept reforms in the caretaker government and in the election commission (EC).

Today the march will begin from Abdullahpur in Tongi at 4:00pm and head for Mohakhali in the capital. Senior leaders of the opposition alliance will also take part. The opposition leaders claimed they would mobilise around one lakh people for the programme.

Tomorrow the road march will start from Narayanganj Ring Road and end at Jatrabari. On July 29 from Nayabazar [2nd Buriganga Bridge] to Muktangon in the capital, and Amin Bazar to Russell Square in Dhanmondi on July 30.

The opposition will also organise similar programmes across the country from July 27 to 28 at union parishad and district headquarters.

In view of the road march, the police have started rounding up opposition activists in the capital and in other places of the country.

Police arrested around 2,000 people across the country, including 267 in the capital, on various charges until 8:00pm yesterday, said a police source.

The 14-party opposition combine termed the arrests 'a planned BNP-Jamaat government measure to foil the road march'. A senior police official preferring not to be named denied allegations of 'mass arrest' and said the arrests were 'routine police activities'.

The opposition combine has taken all out measures to make the road march successful and for this they held a series of preparatory meetings with the leaders of both the city and districts adjacent to the capital.

The AL also held a meeting at its central office in the capital and urged the people to make the marches a success.

Chairing the meeting AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil, also the coordinator of the opposition alliance, protested the mass arrest and warned the government of tougher and vigorous movements if they tried to foil the march. He also vowed to resist any election in the country before implementation of the reforms in the caretaker government and the EC.