Dhaka: Police and activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student body of ruling Awami League, allegedly foiled a cycle rally of Rampal power plant protestors at the central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka on Friday.

Witnesses said a group of students and environmentalists under the banner of ‘Shatasfurto Janata’ gathered in front of the central Shaheed Minar at about 10:00am to hold a rally with bicycles protesting the government move to set up the power plant near the Sundarbans.

At one stage, BCL activists of its Dhaka University unit, led by president Abid Al Hasan and general secretary Motahar Hossain, appeared there and surrounded the protesters.

The BCL men obstructed the protesters to hold the rally by forming a human chain there that triggered a clash.

However, when a group of protesters tried to move towards the National Press from Doel Chatter at about 12:00pm with their bicycles police fired tear gas shells and used water canon to disperse them.