Token hunger strike in Rajshahi for gas

A partial view of participants at the token hunger strike at Shaheb Bazar in Rajshahi yesterday demanding gas supply to the divisional city. PHOTO: STAR

At a rally during the strike, speakers threatened of tougher agitation if budgetary allocation is not announced by June 9.

Rajshahi Rakhha Sangram Parishad organised the progra-mmes.

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Its convenor Zamat Khan chaired the rally, also addressed by, among others, lawyer Md Yahia, engineer Tajul Islam, Prof Chowdhury Sarwar Jahan, columnist Prashanta Saha, sports personality Moinul Islam, journalists Hasan Millat, Mustafizur Rahman Khan and Saidur Rahman and Debashish Pramanik.

The hunger strike began at 9 am. The strikers broke their fast by taking mango juice offered by literatteur and Language Movement veteran Sahed Uddin Ahmed.

Speakers at the rally hoped that the five ruling party lawmakers including a minister from Rajshahi district would take a firm stand in parliament so that steps are announced for supply gas in the city by 2006.

If the lawmakers can not ensure this, people will declare them 'unwanted' in the city and take to streets to force the government meet their demands, they said.

They blamed weakness of local politicians for backwardness of the city compared to other cities. Politicians broke promises made to people many times. People will not tolerate any more politics with their fate, they said.

They also demanded T&T mobile phones for Rajshahi subscribers and three trains on Dhaka-Rajshahi route.

They also demanded speedy trial of the murders of Mili and Porosh and government steps for improvement in the law and order situation.