At least 50 laborers including women were injured as police charged baton on the protesting people.

Meanwhile all activities in tea gardens in the area remained suspended as labourers called an indefinite strike yesterday.

Srimongol police arrested BTLU president Rajendra, general secretary Norendra and member Bhupesh Friday night over a feud in the organisation.

As the news spread, hundreds of tea garden labourers started to pour in Srimongal town yesterday morning and gathered at the central office of BTLU.

The agitated labourers put barricades on the Dhaka-Sylhet

highway in front of the BTLU office and chanted slogans demanding release of the three leaders.

At an impromptu rally there, the labourers announced a strike programme in all tea gardens till release of their leaders.

At about 2 pm police police charged batons on the labourers and cleared the highway.

Some of the injured labourers have been admitted to a hospital in the town.

The barricades created long snarl-ups on both sides of the highway till about 3 pm.

Abdul Majid Bhuiyan, Officer in Charge of Srimongal thana, said the three leaders of BTLU were arrested in a case.