Awami League leaders and activists could not hold an event at Zero Point in the capital's Gulistan yesterday amid strong resistance by students, and activists of different political parties, including the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.

The students and political activists beat up at least 10 people, including two women, in the Gulistan area on suspicion that they were members of AL and its front organisations.

Five of them –– Raju Ahmed Miran, Ridoy, Rasel Haider, Rakib, and Mohammad Ali –– were treated at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

The crowds swooped on Miran and Ridoy as the duo chanted slogans in support of AL near the stadium, said Amit Biswas, a sub-inspector at Paltan Police Station.

They would be taken to the police station after treatment, he said.

The Sheikh Hasina-led party, which was ousted through the student-led mass uprising on August 5, called the event -- a protest march "to restore democracy" and a gathering to observe Shaheed Noor Hossain Day –– through its verified Facebook page.

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Students, BNP activists gather at Noor Hossain Square

Noor Hossain, then a 26-year-old leader of AL's youth front Jubo League, was killed in police firing at Zero Point on November 10, 1987, while protesting against the autocratic rule of HM Ershad. A memorial was built there and the place was renamed Noor Hossain Square.

Yesterday, Noor Hossain's family and various political parties other than the AL and its allies paid respects to him by placing wreaths at the memorial.

Although AL men could not reach Zero Point, the party posted on Facebook photos and videos of its activists bringing out brisk processions in the Motijheel and Press Club areas.

As many as 42 people, including nine women, were detained during AL demonstrations in Motijheel and Paltan areas, said Hossain Mohammad Farabi, assistant commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police's (DMP's) Motijheel Zone.

Another person was held in the Dilkusha area while several others were handed over to police by student and pro-uprising political activists, he said, adding that more details would be given later.

Tensions ran high in the city after the AL urged its leaders and activists to gather at Zero Point at 3:00pm yesterday through a post on Facebook on Saturday.

In response, the interim government said it would not allow "fascist" AL to hold the programme. Students and political activists demonstrated at Zero Point late on Saturday night, vowing to prevent any attempt by AL activists to gather there.

Police also conducted raids in different areas of the capital on Saturday night and arrested over 50 AL activists on charges of attempting to create anarchy in the name of protests, Talebur Rahman, deputy commissioner of DMP, told The Daily Star.

To counter the AL event, supporters of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and activists of BNP, Jamaat and other parties occupied Zero Point and nearby areas again since yesterday morning. Many of them were carrying sticks.

They also gathered outside the AL headquarters on Bangabandhu Avenue near Zero Point.

Witnesses and police said the activists handed over several individuals to police after beating them up for chanting the "Joy Bangla" slogan.

Around 12:45pm, an elderly man was beaten up severely as agitators suspected him to be an AL activist. The victim could not be identified immediately.

Witnesses said the man was suspiciously wandering in the area when a group of demonstrators asked him about his motive. They soon started punching him in the face.

Many others joined the crowd and beat the man indiscriminately. He was later rescued by police.