Protesters remove police barricade at Shahbagh intersection in the capital yesterday in their bid to reach the office of daily Prothom Alo at Karwan Bazar.Photo: STAR

Police yesterday dispersed a march towards the office of the daily Prothom Alo in the capital, which was protesting the publication of a cartoon strip in the newspaper's weekly satirical magazine Aalpin.
The march was organised by Hizbut Tahrir, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon, Islami Oikya Andolon, Bangladesh Chhatra Mukti Andolon, and Islami Shasantantra Andolon, despite repeated apologies from the editor of the daily for the inadvertent publication of the cartoon strip.
The protesters demanded arrests of Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman and its publisher Mahfuz Anam, and imposition of a ban on the publication of the newspaper.
Police dispersed the marchers by charging batons when they reached close to Shahbagh intersection trying to approach the newspaper's office by removing barricades put up there by the law enforcers. The police action left 20 Hizbut Tahrir activists injured, five of whom were treated in Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
As the dispersed marchers tried to regroup, police charged batons again dispersing them completely in only 15 minutes.
During the melee vehicular traffic on several nearby roads remained suspended causing sufferings for commuters.
Activists of the five organisations had started to gather at the north gate of Baitul Mukarram Mosque after the Juma prayer yesterday carrying banners and leaflets and chanting slogans.
The demonstrators also burnt several copies of the Prothom Alo, and effigies of its editor and the publisher.
After holding a brief rally at the entrance of the mosque, activists of the Islamist organisations marched through the roads of Purana Paltan and Baitul Mukarram Mosque area for some time, after which the activists of four organisations, except Hizbut Tahrir, dispersed.
Hizbut Tahrir activists however started to march towards the newspaper's office calling pedestrians over the bullhorns to join them.
The march was trailed by a long traffic jam stretching from Paltan via the Press Club to Shahbagh intersection.
Since early morning security measures had been heightened surrounding the offices of the Prothom Alo and The Daily Star. Police were deployed at several strategic points circling the offices, and barbed wire police barricades were set up at several points. Additional police were also deployed at the entrances of the offices.
Rapid Action Battalion members were seen patrolling the roads surrounding the two offices on motorbikes.
A tense situation had prevailed in the area until the Juma prayer ended and the fasting Muslims returned home in peace.
Vehicles going towards Bangla Motor from Farmgate used alternative roads as police had blocked the stretch of Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue between Karwan Bazar intersection and Bangla Motor intersection during the skirmishes at Shahbagh.
"We have gathered here to lay a siege to the office of the Prothom Alo as the cartoon hurt the religious sentiments of the Muslims," said Saleh Uddin, who was injured in the police baton charge.
International Khatme Nabuwat Movement brought out a march in the Tejgaon industrial area while Islami Oikya Jote Chairman Mufti Fazlul Haque Amini delivered a long speech during his sermon before the Juma prayer in Boro Katra Mosque of Chakbazar. A protest march was also brought out in the area.
Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish Chairman Shaikhul Hadith Allama Azizul Haque in a statement said the Saptahik 2000 magazine fuelled the fire already burning in the minds of the Muslims by publishing another 'objectionable piece' in the Eid issue.
Earlier, Baitul Mukarram National Mosque Khatib Maulana Obaidul Haq on Thursday urged people not to incite tension and not to give rise to any movement in the country centring the cartoon strip.
The Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman on the same day apologised once again for the inadvertent publication of the cartoon, and urged the Muslims and their clerics to 'forgive the mistake'.
Meanwhile, UNB reported that in Chittagong yesterday about 2,000 Muslims led by Kazi Fazlul Karim, convenor of General Musalli Parishad, tried to bring out a protest march in the port city after holding a condemnation rally on the Andarkilla Mosque premises following the Juma prayer there. But they abandoned the plan at the request of police.
Security was beefed up around mosques and newsstands in Sylhet. Police arrested three -- Syed Mohidul Islam, Abdullah Al Mahmud, and Mushfiqur Rahman -- students of Shahjalal University of Engineering and Technology, while they were distributing leaflets in front of the shrine of Shajalal (Rh).
Our correspondent from Barisal reported that Imam Maulana Abdul Kadir of the local Baitul Mukarram Mosque, Maulana Sharfuddin of Saw Road Mosque demanded arrest of the editor of Aalpin and the Prothom Alo.
However, due to the vigilance of law enforcers in uniform and in plain clothes, no demonstration could take place after the prayer.
The cartoon was published on Monday, prompting the government to confiscate all copies of Aalpin's 431st issue available on the market containing the cartoon strip titled 'Naam' [name] on page six, while the authorities of the newspaper apologised for the publication of the satire, and dismissed a sub-editor in connection with it.
Law enforcement agencies arrested Arifur Rahman, the cartoonist, on September 20.