Farmers protest erratic power supply, block highway
Aggrieved farmers put logs to barricade Dinajpur-Bogra highway at Ranirbandar village in Chirirbandar upazila of Dinajpur yesterday demanding smooth supply of power during the peak Irri-boro season. PHOTO: FOCUS BANGLA
Aggrieved farmers blocked highway in Chirirbandar upazila of Dinajpur district while Bangladesh Krishok League brought out a procession and submitted memorandum to Chapainawabganj deputy commissioner yesterday demanding smooth supply of power during the peak Irri-boro season. Around 5,000 farmers of Chirirbandar upazila put up barricade on Dinajpur-Borga highway for two and a half hours yesterday demanding smooth power supply for irrigating their boro fields, reports our Dinajpur correspondent. Irked by serious power outage, the farmers gathered at Ranirbandar village in Chirirbandar upazila. They brought out a procession and put up barricade on Dinajpur-Bogra highway in front of Ichhamoti College in the upazila. Chirirbandar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Anarkoli Mahbub and police station Officer-in-Charge Md Belayet Hossain went to the spot with police force and persuaded the agitating farmers to withdraw the road blockade by assuring the farmers of increased power supply at 12.30pm. During the programme, a Focus Bangla photographer was injured as a Dinajpur-bound bus hit him. Our Chapainawabganj Correspondent adds: Bangladesh Krishok League, an associate organisation of ruling Awami League, yesterday brought out a procession and submitted memorandum to Chapainawabganj DC demanding regular power supply for irrigating their Irri-boro lands in Barind region. "Thousands of hectares of boro land in Barind region have dried up, as due to drastic fall of power supply in the district power run tube-wells, both deep and shallow, can lift only a little water," said the memorandum. "We fear huge losses in the current season as we cannot afford to irrigate lands with diesel run shallow pumps. Everyday power remains off for 16-20 hours. We get power for three to four hours only. But we need 18 to 20 hours power supply to irrigate Irri-boro land in Barind region. "Our boro plants will dry up within a few days if the situation continues. Despite the government's earlier declaration that farmers will get electricity from 11:00pm to 6:00am everyday, we did not get it properly. The farmers urged the government and the local administration to supply adequate power to save Irri-boro paddy and farmers in Chapainawabganj district. Earlier the farmers held a rally in front of deputy commissioner's office. Mushfiqur Rahman Tito, joint convener of district Krishok League, Maraful Islam Azizi, president of Sadar upazila Krishok League, its general secretary Nurul Islam, Jhilim union leader Monirul Islam and Baliadanga union leader Zakir Hossain spoke at the rally. Earlier on Wednesday, aggrieved locals vandalised Palli Bidyut Samity office at Laxmipasha in Lohagara upazila protesting frequent power outage for long hours, UNB reports from Narail. The agitators alleged that electricity was available only for 12 minutes in the upazila during last 48 hours.
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