Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Khaleda Zia's convoy, heading towards Cox's Bazar, reached Chittagong on Saturday night facing attack at Mohammad Ali Bazar near Feni town.

BNP leaders said the party chief's convoy reached the port city at about 8:45pm.

As the convoy passed by Mohammad Ali Bazar at about 4:45pm, it came under attack by a group of unruly youths equipped with rods and sticks.

They damaged nearly 30 vehicles, including microbuses of Channel I, DBC, Ekattor, Baishakhi, Ekushey televisions, Daily Star and Prothom Alo, and beat several journalists and leaders and activists of BNP who were going with Khaleda Zia.

The attackers assaulted journalists even after they disclosed their professional identity.

As some journalists went to a hotel at Lalpur in the district town to take lunch, a group of rowdy youths also attacked the hotel and asked the journalists to leave the place immediately.

BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi blamed the ruling party cadres for the attack and alleged that they did it at the behest of the government.

"We've sought their cooperation and necessary security measures to make our chairperson journey peaceful but they let loose their activists to attack journalists and our leaders and activists," he said.

The BNP leader also alleged that the ruling party men had attacked their party activists at different points in Comilla earlier.

Dhaka South City BNP general secretary Kazi Abul Bashar in his instant reaction said the 'ruling party cadres' damaged their nearly 15 vehicles and beat a number of their leaders and activities.

However, Khaleda Zia reached Feni Circuit House safely at about 5:00pm.

After taking launch and rest there, she started her journey for Chittagong at about 6:52pm.

Earlier, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia started her journey for Chittagong in the morning as she has embarked on a four-day tour of Cox's Bazar to visit the Rohingyas who have taken shelter there in the face of persecution in their own country, Myanmar.

She will stay overnight at Chittagong Circuit House on Saturday, and again start her journey for Cox's Bazar on Sunday at about 11:00am.

Reaching Cox's Bazar at about 5:00pm, she will stay overnight at the Circuit House there on Sunday.

Khaleda Zia will go to Ukhia on Monday morning to visit the Rohingyas and return to Chittagong in the evening.

She will stay overnight at the Chittagong Circuit House on Monday and finally return to Dhaka on Tuesday.

Khaleda Zia who returned home from the UK on October 18 after over a three-month stay there is going to Cox's Bazar as part of her party standing committee members' decision.

As the national election is getting closer, BNP's nomination aspirants will try to draw Khaleda Zia's attention with big showdowns at different points in their respective areas from Gulshan to Cox's Bazar demonstrating their popularity and strength.

Some party leaders said Khaleda Zia may address some wayside rallies on her way to Cox's' Bazar.

Some others, however, said she is unlikely to address any street rally due to security concerns.