Police on Monday foiled the march of a group of transport workers who were on their way to lay a siege to opposition leader Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan residence.
Claiming to be the victims of continuous hartal and blockade programmes, a group of pro-ruling party transport workers had brought out the procession in protest against the strike programmes, demanding the end of such programmes.
The procession was brought out from Mohakhali Bus Terminal led by Chalok League’ President Ali Hossain.
Police and witnesses said as police intercepted the procession at Gulshan-2 at around 1pm, the protesting transport workers held a rally on the road.
At the rally, they urged Khaleda Zia not to continue the hartal or blockade programmes any further, and to stop "arson and damages" to vehicles.
They also urged her to stop attacks on the transport sector and its workers, which have caused many deaths and injuries.
Security measures were intensified with the deployment of a huge number of additional forces surrounding the residence of Khaleda Zia.
However, the additional forces were withdrawn at the end of the rally.
Khandaker Lutful Kabir, deputy commissioner of Gulshan Division of Police, told the Dhaka Tribune that they had stopped the procession after it reached Gulshan-2 and did not allow it to proceed on toward the office of the BNP chairperson.
“We did not allow them to proceed towards any untoward incident,” said the DC.
He added: “We also had convinced them to cancel their scheduled programme to lay siege to Khaleda Zia’s office.”