Police yesterday halted and charged truncheons on a procession of Ganatantra Mancha marching towards to the Secretariat to protest rising commodity prices, "looting of banks", and money laundering.

Witnesses said when the protesters tried to break through a police barricade near the Zero Point around 1:00pm, a scuffle broke out. Police then charged truncheons, they said.

Ganatantra Mancha claimed that its 40 activists, including Zonayed Saki, chief coordinator of Ganosamhati Andolan, were injured.

Seven of the injured took primary treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, said Bachchu Mia, in-charge of the DMCH police outpost.

Saki alleged that police charged truncheons on their activists without any provocation. When he tried to pacify the situation, police also beat him up.

ADC Shah Alam Mohammad Akhtarul Islam of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (Ramna zone) said Ganatantra Mancha took out the procession without permission. Police repeatedly asked them not to go to the Secretariat. But they did not listen to them, he said.

"Ganatantra Mancha told us that they would go in front of the Secretariat and leave peacefully. But they tried to enter the Secretariat by breaking through the barricade.

"It seemed that those who were pushing the barricade were trained. We think they were hired," he said.

Asked about any arrests, the police officer said, "We have detained one or two of those who tried to attack police with sticks. But it could not be confirmed how many people have been detained."

After holding a brief rally in front of the Jatiya Press Club around noon, Ganatantra Mancha took out the procession.

At the rally, Saki said, "A clique is desperate to keep this government in power. The government takes up mega projects for mega loot. Everyone is sharing this looted money.

"If we don't take to the streets, this government cannot be ousted. Don't look at the foreigners. They just take advantage. This government can only be removed and the voting rights restored through movement," he said.

Mahmudur Rahman Manna, president of Nagorik Oikya, said no matter what the government is saying, it will not be able to reduce prices of commodities during Ramadan. A country cannot run worse than the way Bangladesh is being run now, he added.