Left parties’ half-day hartal ends peacefully
The alliance announced strict programmes in the future if the price of daily commodities and fuel is not reduced
The half-day hartal called by the Left Democratic Alliance (LDA) demanding a reduction in commodity prices, including that of fuel, electricity, and public transport fares, for Thursday was observed in the capital like elsewhere in the country without any violence.
Protesters brought out several processions on Thursday in the vicinity of the capital's Shahbagh, Elephant Road, Science lab intersection, Paltan, and the National Press Club. The overall atmosphere was peaceful with regular movement of vehicles throughout the country except for a minor scuffle between the police and protesters in the capital's Shahbagh.
However, in the early hours of Thursday, the police arrested four leaders and activists of the alliance who allegedly torched tyres on the street in Paltan late Wednesday night in support of the hartal.
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LDA Coordinator and Bangladesh Communist Party General Secretary Ruhin Hossain Prince said, "Commodity prices are already high in the market. The government added fuel to the fire by raising prices. By raising the price of oil, gas, electricity, and fertilisers, the government has caused severe harm to farmers and their production. The government has done all this so it can loot money in importing goods from abroad."
People have supported the hartal. If the price of daily commodities and fuel is not reduced, strict programmes will be announced in the future, he added.
Leaders of the left alliance from outside the capital, including Pirojpur, Sylhet, Manikganj, Gazipur, and Natore, said 10-12 activists were injured in attacks by the police and Awami League activists on strikers across the country.
"Police and ruling party terrorists attacked leaders and workers of left parties during the nationwide strike. Several leaders were also arrested," said Socialist Party of Bangladesh General Secretary, Bazlur Rashid Firoz.
He added that the government has increased the price of fuel showing various reasons but when the price falls in the international market it does not go down in our country. People's money is being looted by profiteers, he said.
Communist League General Secretary, Professor Abdus Sattar, said people are currently living in dire straits due to the increase in the price of oil, gas, and fertilisers.
Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) President, Mohammad Shah Alam, Socialist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist) Coordinator Masud Rana, Democratic Revolutionary Party General Secretary Moshrafa Mishu, Democratic Movement Executive President Abdul Ali, CPB Joint General Secretary Mihir Ghosh, Socialist Party of Bangladesh Joint General Secretary Rajekuzzaman Ratan, Communist League Leader Harun Ur Rashid spoke on the occasion, among others.
