Police dispersed the anti-Rampal power plant protesters using water cannons and firing tear gas shells after their procession reached Shahbagh intersection in the capital during their 8-hartal on Thursday morning.The eight-hour hartal sponsored by the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports to press home their 7-point demand, including, scrapping coal-based Rampal power plant near the Sunderbans, began at 6am, in the capital.The national committee would also hold protest rallies across the country today to realise their demands. Earlier in a statement the convener of the committee said, the pedestrians, cycles, rickshaw-vans, ambulances, vehicles of the media houses, electricity and fire service, kitchen markets and medicine shops would remain out of hartal purview.