Police charged batons and used water cannons and tear gas shells to disperse protesting customers demanding the resignation of the newly appointed chairman of Islami Bank Bangladesh.

At 9AM on Monday, the first working day after the Eid, members of the customer forum – known as a pro-Jamaat-e-Islami group – began to take up positions in front of the Islami Bank office in Motijheel’s Dilkusha, chanting slogans.

Later, the police dispersed them and took up a defensive position. At one stage, officers used batons, water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowd, triggering panic at the scene and forcing the demonstrators to scatter.

The protesters alleged that police used excessive force against what they described as a peaceful programme.

The protesters are demanding the reinstatement of recently resigned chairman M Zubaidur Rahman and managing director Omar Faruk Khan.

They claimed that the newly appointed chairman is an associate of the controversial S Alam Group and warned that his appointment could lead to further “plundering” of the bank.