Online Desk: The police detained dozens of leaders and activists of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, including its senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, during a raid at the party central office at Naya Paltan in Dhaka on Wednesday afternoon.

The police began raiding the BNP central office at about 4:15pm on Wednesday, minutes after a clash between the police and the main opposition party activists in front of the office. The clash left one dead and dozens injured, the police and BNP activists said.

At one stage of the altercation over the issue, police lobbed tear gas shells and charged batons to disperse them.

BNP activists responded by pelting brick chips at police, triggering the clash.

Police arrested BNP`s publicity secretary Shaheed Uddin Chowdhury Annie, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's special assistant Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas  and general secretary of Sammilito Peshajibi Parishad Kader Goni Chowdhury from the spot after the clash.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir rushed to BNP office around 4:40pm hearing the news of clash.

Fakhrul blamed the government for what he said unjustified police action. “It’s an unjustified action of police. We strongly condemn it.”

Biplab Sarkar, joint commissioner (operation) of DMP headquarters, said police took action to ensure public security. As per the directive of DMP commissioner police are doing whatever is needed to maintain law and order, he said.