Three activists of the Parishad were arrested while picketing in the morning, police said. They are Iftekhar Ahmed Limon, district president of Jatiya Party (Manju), Abdur Rahim Ripon and Monwar Hossain.

No untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the city during the hartal hours.

All commercial establishments kept their shutters down and educational institutions remained closed during the hartal period.

The hartal culminates a month-long agitation programme of the Parishad, a non- partisan forum of people of all classes, to realise the demand.

Rickshaws plied in large numbers in different areas of the city as motorised transports kept off the roads.

Police foiled an attempt by the Parishad to hold its rally at the Court Point in the morning.

However, its leaders later a brief rally at the Modhuban Market, where speakers said tougher programmes will be announced if then planned hanging bridge is not constructed.

It was announced at the rally that a fresh agitation programme would be announced on June 10.

With Alhaj Turon Miah presiding, the rally was addressed by, among others, Ilyasur Rahman and advocate Abdul Malik.

The speakers also demanded immediate release of the three persons arrested during the hartal.

They said the hanging bridge project was approved by the ECNEC (Executive Committee of the National Economic Council) and announced by the finance minister. Cancellation of the project is a conspiracy, they said.