Soccer fans block highway for smooth power supply
Thousands of soccer fans, agitated by load shedding during World Cup matches, yesterday block Panchagarh-Dhaka highway for over five hours demanding smooth power supply to Birganj upazila in Dinajpur.Photo: STAR
Thousands of people, most of them soccer fans, of Birganj upazila yesterday blocked Panchagarh-Dhaka highway yesterday for over five hours demanding smooth power supply. Hundreds of vehicles including passenger buses and trucks got stranded on the highway while road communications of Thakurgaon and Panchagarh with other districts remained snapped during the agitation. The protesters demanded removal of General Manager of Dinajpur Palli Biddyut Samity-1 as he failed to maintain smooth power supply to the upazila. The programme was withdrawn at 3.30pm. The power hungry people of the upazila organised it under the banner of 'Birganj Bidyut Unnayan Parishad' yesterday and gathered at Old Shaheed Minar in the morning before staging the blockade. At a rally the speakers also vowed to continue their agitation if smooth power supply is not ensured in future. The protesters called off the blockade after ADC General of Dinajpur Md Shamsul Alam, UNO Hasan Maruf, ASP Shanjit Kumar Roy and OC of Birganj upazila assured them of necessary steps in this regard. Soccer fans of Kaharol upazila of Dinajpur also blocked Panchagarh-Dhaka highway yesterday afternoon demanding smooth power supply. Sources said, the protesters gathered at Dashmail intersection under Panchagarh-Dhaka highway at around 4:20pm. The programme was continuing till filing of this report yesterday evening.
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