Left parties enforce half-day hartal protesting gas price hike

Leaders and activists of left parties block road in Paltan, Dhaka in protest of gas price hike in the country. Photo: UNB
Leaders and activists of left parties block road in Paltan, Dhaka in protest of gas price hike in the country. Photo: UNB

A number of left-leaning political parties are observing a half-day hartal to protest against the recent hike in prices of gas for retail consumers, reports news agency UNB.

Supporters of the Left Democratic Alliance (LDA) brought out processions in the city's Paltan and Mirpur areas on Sunday morning.

The LDA announced the shutdown programme on 1 July, a day after the prices were raised.

Its protest programme was endorsed by political parties such as the BNP, Ganoforum and ASM Abdur Rab-led Jatiya Samjtantrik Dal.

The National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports expressed solidarity with the demonstration against the hike in gas prices.

On 30 June, the government raised the gas prices by 32.8 per cent on average for the retail consumers in the country with effect from 1 July.