The clashes left around 25 injured in the capital, including Awami League (AL) lawmaker Tanjim Ahmed Sohel Taj, and 100 more in Bagerhat during the AL-led 14-party opposition combine's countrywide programme.

The 14-party alliance had declared to besiege the EC Secretariat in the capital and district election offices demanding electoral reforms and resignation of the chief election commissioner and two election commissioners.

The opposition declared to stage countrywide demonstrations tomorrow protesting yesterday's police attack and BNP lawmaker Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu's indecent remarks in parliament against opposition leader Sheikh Hasina.

AL Presidium Member Amir Hossain Amu announced the programme at an emergency press briefing at the AL central office on Bangabandhu Avenue after the EC-siege programme.

Meanwhile, at least 20 AL activists were injured when police charged batons on them at Enayetpur Islamia High School ground in Chownali upazila in Sirajganj yesterday, reports our correspondent.

The upazila administration imposed section 144 in the area from 1:00pm to 6:00pm as both the opposition and the BNP called meetings at the school ground at 3:00pm.

In the capital, the police stormed into the Dhanmondi residence of former home minister and AL lawmaker Mohammad Nasim and charged batons on the opposition demonstrators who were throwing stones at them.

Five female workers were critically injured at Agargaon when the law enforcers beat them indiscriminately.

The police used batons, teargas shells and rubber bullets to disperse the opposition activists trying to break through barbed-wire barricades at Russell Square in Dhanmondi and Agargaon areas.

Vehicular movement on Mirpur Road, Rokeya Sarani and at Mohakhali was halted for about four hours from 10:00am due to the police barricades.

Clashes near the Russell Square erupted when police prevented several thousand opposition workers from marching towards the EC Secretariat at about 12:00noon. Stopped by the barbed-wire fences, a group of demonstrators started pelting stones at the police prompting the law enforcers to lob teargas shells and fire rubber bullets.

Dispersed into two groups, the opposition workers continued throwing brickbats at the police from different by-lanes. They also damaged a number of shopping malls on both sides of Mirpur Road during the hour-long clash.

The police indiscriminately beat AL lawmaker Tanjim Ahmed and his personal assistant Mohammad Kawsar and an activist of Bangladesh Chhatra League who came to his rescue.

The seriously wounded three were admitted to Bangladesh Medical College Hospital.

The police chased another group of demonstrators who took shelter at Mohammad Nasim's residence around 1:00pm.

The chase and counter-chase continued until 2:15pm on Dhanmondi road No. 26 when the Mirpur Road came under the control of the law enforcers.

Earlier, the demonstrators led by opposition leaders Abdur Razzak, Rashed Khan Menon, Hasanul Haque Inu and Dilip Barua gathered near the Russell Square at 10:00am and held a rally before marching towards the EC Secretariat.

At Agargaon, policemen were seen beating female demonstrators indiscriminately with bamboo sticks. At least five female demonstrators were found lying almost unconscious on the road. They were later taken away on police vans.

The opposition demonstrators pelted stones at the police when they were barricaded near the Agargaon bus stoppage.

Leaders and activists of the AL, its front organisations and other components of the 14-party opposition alliance started to gather at Agargaon bust stoppage at 10:45am.

Several hundred police intercepted them at the Agargaon crossing putting up barbed-wire fences. By 11:30am several thousand demonstrators gathered in the area and some of them started pelting brickbats at the police.

The law enforcers also countered them by throwing brickbats and charging batons.

Earlier in the morning, the police barricaded Rokeya Sarani at Mirpur-10 roundabout and Zia Udyan crossing. Traffic was suspended on the road until 2:30pm.

The police prevented several hundred opposition demonstrators near the Mohakhali rail crossing. Opposition leaders Tofail Ahmed, Kazi Zafrullah, Rahmat Ali, Akhtaruzzman and Subid Ali Bhuiyan led the demonstration that ended at about 1:00pm peacefully.

Meanwhile, at least 100 people were injured and over 50 buses damaged during a fierce clash between BNP and opposition workers who tried to besiege the district election office in Bagerhat yesterday, UNB reports.

The Bagerhat Bus Owners' Association declared a bus strike on all routes from the district in protest against the damage of buses and counters by the BNP men.

Witnesses said the workers of the AL-led 14-party combine gathered at the Bagerhat bus terminal at about 11:00am before proceeding towards the district election office.

The clash ensued when BNP men allegedly attacked the gathering, leaving more than 100 injured, including Bagerhat AL General Secretary Sheikh Kamruzzaman Tuku, Jubo League leaders Shikder Shariful and Sarwar Sheikh.

Bagerhat AL will stage demonstration in all upazilas today and tomorrow in protest of the attack.