An 11-party alliance held a protest in Dhaka on 6 August and marched toward the Secretariat.
The procession began from Muktangan, where the alliance had held a position programme.
Police stopped the group when it reached the area in front of the Secretariat.
The stoppage occurred at about 12:45pm, after which the protesters made brief remarks there.
The alliance said it was protesting alleged fuel and gas shortages, disputed electricity bills, concerns over law and order, and increases in essential-goods prices.
Opposition leader and Jamaat-e-Islami chief Dr Shafiqur Rahman said the protesters had come to convey public demands rather than to disrespect anyone.
Rahman said the alliance believed in peaceful protest and sought to place its demands before public representatives.
He asked for a responsible government representative to come out and receive the demands.
Rahman said the group would wait 10 minutes and announce a further programme if no representative arrived.
He also asked police officers to convey the group’s message to the appropriate authorities.
Leaders from Jamaat-e-Islami, the National Citizen Party, the Liberal Democratic Party and other alliance members attended.
Rahman said the alliance was observing the same programme elsewhere in Bangladesh as well as in Dhaka.
It remains unclear whether a government representative met the protesters or whether the alliance subsequently announced another programme.