Farmers in 4 dists agitate for erratic power supply
Locals block Lalmoni Express Train at Bamandanga rail station in Sundarganj upazila under Gaibandha district yesterday demanding uninterrupted power supply in the area for at least 18 hours a day.Photo: STAR
Hundreds of farmers besieged local power offices and blocked road in Natore, Dinajpur, Gaibandha and Garipur districts yesterday and the day before demanding uninterrupted power supply during the on-going irri-boro season. About 5-6 hundred farmers from different villagers in Natore besieged the office of the Rural Electrification Board (REB) yesterday, demanding smooth supply of power for boro irrigation. The farmers from Tazpur, Serkoil, Chaugram, Nimakadma, Domdoma and Boria villages of Singra upazila gathered in front of the REB office at Singra upazila headquarters at about 1:30pm chanting slogans for smooth supply of power, reports our correspondent. At one stage, the security men closed the main gate of the office as the agitating farmers tried to get into the compound to meet the deputy general manager of Natore REB-1 to lodge their complaint. The farmers expressed their grievances saying that they could not irrigate their irri-boro fields because of erratic power supply. A number of others also complained that a section of REB men were demanding bribe for providing electricity to their villages. DGM Khandakar Shamim Alam assured the farmers that he would soon seek more power from the higher authorities for ensuring adequate supply. In Dinajpur, at least 600 farmers of Chirirbandar upazila blocked Dinajpur-Bogra highway on Wednesday afternoon demanding smooth power supply during the ongoing irri-boro season. The roadblock left hundreds of vehicles for hours it started at around 4:30pm, reports our correspondent. Sources said the farmers gathered in Uchitpur point of the highway and sat down on the street chanting slogans in favour of their demand. In Gaibandha, hundreds people yesterday laid a siege to Bamondanga rail station and Sundarganj-Rangpur roads for three hours, demanding uninterrupted power supply, reports our correspondent. It was organised jointly by Upazila Sech Moror Malik Samity and Bamonganga Bidut Grahak Samity. The organisers said they were fed up with the power interruption that sometimes continued for fortnight causing serious setback to boro crop farming and trade at shops and small industries. Agitated people halted hundreds of vehicles on Sunderganj-Rangpur road and detained Lalmonirhat Intercity express train, Padmarag express train and Dolanchampa express train at Bamoudanga station for several hours. People of Sreepur upazila of Garipur besieged the office of Mymensingh PBS-2 at Mawna Chowrasta (intersection) on Wednesday morning demanding smooth power supply. After a two-hour besiege from 11:15, DGM Abul Basher Azad sat with the local protesters, reports our correspondent. After the meeting, he talked with the higher authorities and assured the people of improvement in power situation in the next seven days.
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