The committee was demanding resumption of the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) service in the three upazilas.

Speakers announced that if the authorities fail to resume BRTC service by January 25, a dawn to dusk hartal will be observed in three upazilas on January 26. The agitators will hold rallies and other programmes till January 25.

Earlier, sit-in programmes were staged in all the three upazila headquarters of Jaintapur, Kanaighat and Gowainghat on January 17.

Leaders alleged that the Finance and Communication ministers have compelled them to go for greater movement.

They warned that the ministers would be held responsible for any untoward incident during the ongoing agitation programme.

Speakers recalled that the BRTC service was introduced at the initiative of the Finance Minister. But at present withdrawal of the service is most unfortunate, they added.

Speakers threatened that in the event of the authorities failure to reintroduce BRTC service, supply of tea, sand, stones, and coal imported from India through Tamabil would be stopped for an indefinite period. We shall also stop the administrative activities in the region, they announced.

Former Upazila Chairman Siraj Uddin Ahmed, who is also convener of the committee presided over the meeting, while it was addressed, among others, by Jaintapur Upazila Awami League President Md Abdullah, also a former upazila chairman, upazila BNP General Secretary and former UP chairman Abdul Malik Manik, Nijpat UP chairman Mokhlisur Rahman Doula, UP chairman Ekhlasur Rahman, UP chairman ABM Zakaria, Darbast UP chairman Kamal Ahmed, Fatehpur UP chairman Qudrat Ullah, Advocate Moulana Mohammad Ali, leading personalities like Abdul Haque, Moulana Muhibul Haque, former UP chairman Ekhlasur Rahman, Ex-UP chairman Anisul Haque, Ex-UP Chairman Muhibul Haque.

Supply of sand, stones and coal from the three upazilas to Sylhet and other parts of the country remained suspended from January 9 at the call of the Samannaya Committee.

People in the region are already boycotting private bus and minibus service in different routes of the three upazilas since October 13 last year. They want reintroduction of permanent BRTC service which was introduced temporarily in the three upazilas on September 10 last year.

Because of pressure of people in private transport sector BRTC bus service was stopped. Again the service resumed at the intervention of the Finance Minister. The number of BRTC buses were also increased.

But suddenly the authorities concerned sent a big contingent of police to the area and took away the buses from Jaintapur temporary depot on January 3. The incident sparked widespread resentment among common people in the region.