Dhaka, Nov 28 (IANS): The Detective Branch (DB) of Bangladesh Police Thursday arrested two opposition leaders for instigating violence.

Major (retired) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, vice chairman of ex-prime minister Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and also a former minister, was arrested shortly after he came out of Bangladesh's apex court in Dhaka Thursday, Xinhua news agency reported.

BNP Joint Secretary General Khairul Kabir Khokon was also arrested from the Supreme Court area Thursday.

A Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) official said both the BNP leaders were arrested in connection with Tuesday's clash between police and a group of BNP leaders and activists on a road in front of the apex court.

The DMP official who did not like to be named said police lodged the case Tuesday naming 20 to 25 BNP leaders for instigating violence.

Two policemen were reportedly injured in the clash which erupted while BNP men were staging a demonstration in front of the High Court building seeking Zia's release.

A number of vehicles were reportedly vandalized during the clash.

A BNP spokesman who did not want to be named said the arrests aimed at silencing critics and weakening oppositions' voices.

Zia has been in jail since February 2018 after being convicted in two corruption cases.

In April last year she was shifted to a hospital in Dhaka when she fell ill and has remained there ever since.

Her party leaders want her released for treatment abroad as, they say, her health kept deteriorating.