At least five BNP activists were arrested and 10 sustained injuries following a clash between them and police at Seota Manra area of Manikganj district on the first day of the three-day blockade called by BNP, Jamaat and their associate parties.
The arrestees include district BNP vice-president Azad Hossain Khan, municipality BNP president Nasir Uddin Jadu and three others.
District BNP office secretary Arif Hossain Liton said that BNP leaders and activists brought out "a peaceful procession in support of the blockade, but police started chasing the procession when it tried to get on the Dhaka-Aricha highway."
"At that time, BNP leaders and activists started throwing bricks at the police, and police fired several rounds of blank bullets. Ten BNP leaders and activists were injured in the clash," he added.
Manikganj Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Abdur Rouf Sarker said BNP leaders and activists threw bricks at the police, and police fired empty bullets to bring the situation under control.
Five people were arrested from the spot, he added.
