Dhaka Metropolitan Police yesterday denied BNP permission to hold its grand rally in front of its Nayapaltan headquarters or at the Suhrawardy Udyan on the grounds of public suffering on a working day.

River communications across the country came to a near halt yesterday as water transport workers started a nationwide indefinite work stoppage that caused huge public sufferings and hampered business activities.

Thousands of commuters suffer immensely in Dhaka, Chittagong and some other districts as bus owners and workers suspend transport services in different districts since this morning.