Savar, July 15 -- Police arrested 13 leaders and activists of Awami League, which faces a ban on its activities, during a procession on the Dhaka-Aricha highway in Savar on Tuesday.

According to police, around 35-40 leaders and activists of Awami League and its associate bodies, carrying banners and sticks, brought out a procession in the Bhanga Bridge area on the highway around 1:00pm when a routine police patrol spotted them.

Police chased the group and managed to arrest 13 of them, while others escaped by swimming across a nearby water body, police said.

Sub-Inspector Anwar Hossain of Savar Model Police Station said most of those arrested are residents of Savar municipality.

The arrestees were identified as Sagar Molla, Mohammad Al...