LDA, Zafrullah call half-day hartal on 28 March over skyrocketing prices of essentials

The Left Democratic Alliance (LDA) has called a half-day hartal on 28 March to protest against the soaring prices of edible oils and other essential commodities.

Saiful Haque, coordinator of the LDA, made the announcement at a media briefing at the capital's Purana Paltan on Friday.

The alliance will also hold meetings, rallies, marches, processions, demonstrations and distribute leaflets across the country from 13 to 27 March to make the hartal a success.

The hartal will be observed from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm.

Meanwhile, Zafrullah Chowdhury, trustee of Gonoshasthaya Kendra, also called a half-day hartal for 28 March against the spiraling prices of daily essentials.

At a press conference at Gonoshasthaya Kendra in Dhanmondi, he put forward three demands: Commodity prices have to be made affordable for the average person; subsidized rations have to be provided to two crore families regularly, with action against syndicates involved in the price manipulation of commodities, a must.

Rendering support to the hartal, Gano Sanghati Andolon Chief Coordinator, Zonayed Saki, said all the development of the government is rendered meaningless when the lines of low-income people get longer and longer at Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) trucks for subsidised goods.

Dr Zafrullah called on the public to support the half-day hartal to draw the government's attention to their sufferings for their own survival.

Bhashani Onusari Parishad secretary general, Sheikh Rafiqul Islam Bablu, said they will bring out a "Bhukha Michhil" (hunger procession) to protest the price rise of essentials.

Gono Odhikar Parishad Member Secretary Nurul Haque Nur, Freedom Fighter Naem Jahangir, and others were present at the press meet.