Violence marks Haragachh hartal for power supply
100 hurt in clashes; protesters batoned, tear gassed
Our Correspondent, Rangpur
At least 100 people including Rangpur Municipality Chairman Mamunur Rashid and Additional Superintendent of Police Iqbal Hossen were injured in incidents of violence in Haragachh during hartal hours yesterday.Police charged batons and lobbed over 100 tear gas shells to quell clashes between supporters and opponents of the hartal. The hartal was called on Tuesday by students in protest against power outage for about two weeks in Haragachh. The hartal call was supported by bidi factory owners and workers. Hargachh is a hub of bidi factories. The clash ensued when an anti-hartal procession led by the municipal chairman was attacked by pro-hartal activists. As the anti-hartal procession came under attack, Municipal Chairman Mamunur Rashid ran away and entered the municipal compound. Pro-hartal activists attacked him there and beat him. They also damaged some vehicles. Police led by Additional Police Superintendent Iqbal Hossen rushed there and swung into action, ensuing a clash with pro-hartal activists. The ASP was injured there. Reinforced, police lobbed at least 100 tear gas shells and brought the situation under control there. Intermittent clashes also took place in the small town during the hartal. Haragachh is without power supply for about two weeks following a row between consumers and Rural Electrification Board (REB). The power outage triggered demonstrations by local people including students and bidi factory workers. Sources claimed that at least 40,000 workers lost their jobs as bidi factories stopped production due to power outage. The situation turned for the worse on Tuesday when movable property of two local Awami League leaders and a leader of Bidi Workers Union, accused in a case filed by an REB official, were attacked as they did not appear before court. They were sued in an incident of attack on a senior REB official last month when he had gone to realise outstanding power bills. REB sources earlier said power bills amounting to around Tk 7 crore were outstanding with consumers in Haragachh. The consumers stopped payment of bills after Power Development Board (PDB) handed over power distribution in the area to REB about two and a half years back. The consumers are demanding power supply by PDB, saying it is less costly and supply is more regular than by REB.
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