AL men along with angry locals lock power office
Leaders and activists of Gopalpur upazila unit Awami League, Jubo League and Chhatra League along with local people yesterday locked Gopalpur zonal office of the Mymensingh Palli Bidyut Samity-1 indefinitely demanding smooth electricity supply in the upazila.
Locals said, loadsheeding increased seriously in Gopalpur upazila in the last few days. Following 10 hours loadsheeding in the upazila on Saturday last, angry people with the help of local ruling party men, locked the power office yesterday.
Mohammad Mostafizur Rahman, assistant general manager (commercial) of Gopalpur zonal office, said about 40 to 50 people led by Gopalpur upazila AL general secretary Rakibul Haque Chhana came to the power office of Thana Bridge area in the upazila headquarters at around 11:00am and locked the office forcing all the officials and employees out of the building.
The matter has already been informed to the upazila nirbahi officer (UNO), police superintendent (SP) and the senior officials of the Palli Bidyut Samity, he said.
Upazila AL general secretary Rakibul Haque Chhana said the people in Gopalpur have been suffering due to regular power outage for about 7 to 8 hours a day. Being agitated, they locked the power office after a brief demonstration there, he said.
During protest rally, the locals decided to keep the power office locked for indefinite period until getting electricity supply equivalent to the other adjacent upazilas, he added.
Among others, president of municipal unit AL Abdul Jabbar, president of upazila unit Jubo League Rafiqul Islam Rafiq, general secretary Anwarul Haque and upazila Chhatra League convener Manzurul Islam were with the AL general secretary during the power office incident.
Abul Khair, officer-in-charge of Gopalpur police station, said they had talked with the agitators and urged them to reopen the office but to no effect.
Locals told this correspondent that they will keep the office under look and key until high officials of the power office come and assure them of meeting their demand.
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