Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)- The National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports will continue dawn-to-dusk shutdown for the second consecutive day on Sunday at Phulbari in the country’s northern Dinajpur district.
The committee on Saturday announced the second day of strike, generally known as hartal from a demonstration in the afternoon after the dawn-to-dusk general strike in the upazila, enforced to demand withdrawal of the office of the Asia Energy Corporation (Bangladesh) Ptv Ltd, a subsidiary of the London-based Global Coal Management Resources Plc, ended peacefully.
Addressing a rally in front of the Jatiya Press Club in the capital Dhaka, Professor Anu Mohammad, member secretary of the committee, said they will hold countrywide demonstrations to realize their demands.
During yesterday's daylong hartal, several thousand people blocked the Dinajpur-Dhaka highway and burnt tyres in different areas of the upazila since 6:00am. The blockade halted traffic on the road, according to reports.
The committee called the hartal in protest at the imposition of Section 144 by the local administration to foil its Friday's protest rally in Phulbari.
All the educational institutions, business establishments and most shops remained closed during hartal hours.
Additional police have been deployed at different places in the upazila to maintain law and order, said assistant super of Dinajpur police.
Meanwhile, another platform “Orajnoitik Mancha” declared on Saturday to enforce hartal in the upazila for an indefinite period from Sunday. The platform is led by Phulbari municipality Mayor Md Manik Sarker, also president of Phulbari Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Both the organisations are protesting the government's decision to let British firm Asia Energy resume its survey of the coal mine area.
BBN/SSR/AD-25Nov12-9:11 am (BST)
