Indefinite strike in schools, colleges

Students under the banner of the Parishad held a rally on Haragachh High School ground Thursday afternoon, where the speakers vowed to continue the strike till their demand is met.

Mamun Islam Shohag and Khaledur Rahman Ripon spoke in the rally.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

Meanwhile, the bidi workers unions warned the administration that they (administration) would have to bear the responsibility for any untoward incident for continued power outage in Haragachh, a hub of bidi factories in the northern region of the country.

They are demanding power supply by Power Development Board (PDB), not by Rural Electrification Board (REB) and gave the authorities a deadline till next Saturday for this.

As tension mounted in the small town following Tuesday's violence during hartal, police are guarding the residence of BNP leader Rahim Uddin Varsa, Jatiya party lawmaker Karim Uddin Varsa and Haragachh Municipality Cchairman Mamunur Rashid.

Kounia Upazila Nirbahi Officer Dhirendra Nath is however trying to cool down the situation and having talks with local political and bidi workers' leaders and businessmen, sources said.

Asked by this correspondent, UNO said he is hopeful of an end to the protests by students and bidi workers over power supply.

"I proposed to them to use REB electricity for the time being but they refused. They want power supply under PDB."

As there is a case pending with court, the administration cannot take decision to distribute power under PDB right now, the UNO explained.

The people of Haragahh are refusing power supply by REB, saying it is costlier and irregular than that supplied by PDB, the local people told this correspondent.

On Tuesday, a half day hartal was observed in Haragachh at the call of student demanding smooth power supply. At lest 20 people were injured in clashes between supporters and opponents of hartal.