Hartal passes off peacefully: Ultimatum to meet demands

The half-day hartal called by the National Committee to Protect Oil-Gas Mineral Resources, Power and Ports passed off peacefully in the city excepting some stray incidents.
Traffic movement at some places in the city was partially disrupted and some vehicles were damaged by pro-hartal elements during the period.
The activists of the national committee brought out small processions in support of their programme. The areas where the supporters were active include Topkhana Road, Shahbagh, Shamoly and Mirpur.
The six-hour hartal was called to protest against the gas-exploration deals with foreign companies in the Bay of Bengal and attacks on its activists and leaders by police during a demonstration on September 2.
Addressing the street rallies at different places during the hartal, the organisers renewed their pledge to resist any government move to lease out onshore and offshore gas blocks to foreign companies.
Engineer Shahidulalh, convener of the national committee gave an ultimatum to the government to retreat from its move to award three blocks to two foreign companies by October 15 or to face tougher movement in future.
If the demand is not met within the deadline, the committee would announce fresh agitation programme by holding a convention of the national committee on October 16, he said.
Most of the offices and business establishments remained open as usual and traffic movement on the street was normal.
Additional police were deployed at different strategic points in the city during hartal hours.
It was the first work stoppage programme since Awami League-led grand alliance assumed power early this year.
The grand alliance had enforced a countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal on December 21, 2006 as part its joint movement to resist any blueprint election.
In the city, the pro-hartal elements mainly thronged at Topkhana Road and brought out processions in the area. No traffic movement was found at the Topkhana Road, Paltan and adjacent areas till the end hartal hours.
A procession was brought out at Mirpur-10 crossing in the morning.
Traffic movement at Shahbag remained suspended till 10:00am following vandalism of some vehicles by pro-hartal elements.

Courtesy of The New Nation