Police yesterday charged truncheons and used water cannons on BNP men to foil their black flag programme in the capital's Nayapaltan.

The BNP central leaders will start grassroots tour tomorrow and hold a series of meetings in efforts to keep intact the organisational unity as they fear the government is out to split the party ahead of the next parliamentary election.

Agitated BNP men vandalised around 70 vehicles and torched a police motorbike in the city's High Court and Bangabazar areas yesterday after police foiled their bid to bring out a procession.