Police allegedly picked up over 20 students from Khulna city's Royal and Moilapotha intersections respectively on Wednesday during their bid to bring out a procession in favour of 'March for Justice' programme to press home their nine- point demand.

Witnesses said the protesters started gathering at the intersections responding to their scheduled programme around 12:30pm.

At one stage, police began chasing them while a group of the protesters took position inside Ahsanullah College after locking the entrance.

But breaking open it, police detained over 20 protesters from the college, said witnesses.

Around 1:30pm, a group of Bangladesh Chhatra League activists equipped with sticks took out a procession from Dalmill intersection while police chased them assuming to be protesters, they said.

As of filing this report around 2pm, a section of the protesters took position in the Royal intersection, resulting in a tense situation in the city.

On Tuesday night, protesters under the banner of the Anti-Discrimination Students' Movement, announced the 'March for Justice' program, to stage demonstrations at educational institutions, court premises, and major roads across the country.