At least 20 people, including a journalist, were injured in a clash between BNP activists and police at Alaipur in Natore town on Monday.

Witnesses said BNP leaders and activists gathered in front of their party office at Alaipur around 10 am to hold a rally as part of their central program demanding its chairperson Khaleda Zia’s release for her treatment abroad.

At one stage, police obstructed them, triggering a clash.

BNP men attacked police with brick chips and a chase and a counter-chase took place, leaving 20 people wounded.

Police fired several rounds of tear gas shells to bring the situation under control, said superintendent of police Liton Kumar Saha.

After a seven-hour mass-hunger strike on Saturday, BNP announced to hold rallies across the country, including the capital, on Monday, demanding the immediate release of ‘critically’ ill Khaleda Zia for better treatment abroad.

Party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the program while concluding their hunger-strike program in front of BNP’s Naya Paltan central office.

He said their party’s all units of metropolitan cities, district towns, and upazila headquarters will hold rallies.