The Left Democratic Alliance's Barisal district committee held a protest march and rally today calling for the overthrow of the government, establishment of democracy, right to vote, an end to gas and electricity price hikes, and lower pricing of daily essentials. Alliance leaders who spoke at the rally said that the current Awami League regime has strengthened their party's looters in the name of development. “They made their second abode in Canada, known as Begum Para. This government has increased the price of electricity 11 times in the last 14 years.   They will not be saved, no matter how much this illegitimate government talks about development,” said the speakers. Also Read: Revoke power price hike or face street protests: BNP to govt  The district coordinator of the Left Democratic Alliance, Professor Dulal Chandra Majumdar presided while the district president of the Communist Party of Bangladesh, Professor Mizanur Rahman, the district general secretary of the Revolutionary Communist League, Professor Nripendra Nath Barai, and the district member secretary of BASAD, Dr. Manisha Chakraborty, spoke among others. The program was held at 11am on Saturday in front of Ashwini Kumar Hall in the city. A protest march was held in the city following the rally.  

A half-day nationwide general strike enforced by the Left Democratic Alliance (LDA) in protest against the rising prices of fuel, fertilizers and daily essentials was observed almost peacefully on Thursday. The strike began around 6am and ended at 12 noon. Dozens of LDA activists brought out a procession from DU campus, which culminated at Paltan. Student organisations, backed by left- leaning political parties, were seen observing their pre-announced protest programme at Dhaka University, and an Elephant Road, Banglamotor, Kataban, Nilkhet and New Market areas in support of the half-day strike. Also read: Half-day strike against rising cost of living in Bangladesh underway However, three LDA members were allegedly injured after cops charged batons to disperse their protest rally against rising cost of living at Shahbag junction. “We were marching towards Shahbag intersection from the Banglamotor area peacefully when around 50 policemen, led by assistant deputy commissioner (Ramna zone) Harun-or-Rashid, swooped on us all of a sudden, injuring three of our activists,” said Rajib Kanti, president of the Chhatra Front’s Dhaka University (DU) unit. The injured LDA activists are currently undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), he added. Hospitals, hotels, pharmacies and vehicles engaged in providing emergency services were kept out of the purview of the strike. Also read: Petrol pump owners threaten strike on Aug 31 At a press conference on Wednesday at Mukti Bhaban in the capital, LDA coordinator and CPB General Secretary Ruhin Hossain Prince called upon the country’s people to observe the strike with their spontaneous presence on the streets and also to mount pressure on the government to stop the process of increasing the prices of electricity and gas. Stating that people are going through immense sufferings due to the rise in the prices of fuel and commodities, he warned that LDA will announce bigger programmes in the future if the government does not respond to their demands after the general strike. In an abrupt move, the government increased the prices of diesel, octane and petrol by 42.5 per cent, 51.7 per cent and 51 per cent, respectively, on August 5. Currently, diesel is being sold at Tk 114 per litre, octane at Tk 135 per litre and petrol at Tk 130 per litre, pushing up the prices of all essential items. On August 17, the country's main opposition BNP extended its support to the LDA’s strike. Party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir made the announcement at a press conference at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office.

A half-day nationwide strike enforced by the Left Democratic Alliance (LDA) in protest against the rising prices of fuel, fertilizers and daily essentials is underway peacefully. The strike began around 6am on Thursday and will end at 12 noon. Hospitals, hotels, pharmacies and vehicles engaged in providing emergency services have been kept out of the purview of the strike. At a press conference on Wednesday at Mukti Bhaban in the capital, LDA coordinator and CPB General Secretary Ruhin Hossain Prince called upon the country’s people to observe the strike with their spontaneous presence on the streets and also to mount pressure on the government to stop the process of increasing the prices of electricity and gas. Also read: BNP supports left alliance’s hartal on Aug 25 Stating that people are going through immense sufferings due to the rise in the prices of fuel and commodities, he warned that LDA will announce bigger programmes in the future if the government does not respond to their demands after the general strike. Earlier on August 16, the LDA called a nationwide half-day strike for August 25. In an abrupt move, the government increased the prices of diesel, octane and petrol by 42.5 per cent, 51.7 per cent and 51 per cent, respectively, on August 5. Currently, diesel is being sold at Tk 114 per litre, octane at Tk 135 per litre and petrol at Tk 130 per litre, pushing up the prices of all essential items. On August 17, the country's main opposition BNP extended its support to the LDA’s strike. Party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir made the announcement at a press conference at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office.    

Left Democratic Alliance on Friday called a nationwide half-day hartal (general strike) on March 28 protesting the increasing prices of utility services and daily commodities such as edible oil, rice, lentils and onion. The strike will be observed from 6am-12pm around the country on the day. Leaders of the Left Alliance announced the programme at a press conference at Mukti Bhavan in Purana Paltan at 11 am. Read: Price hike: JaPa threatens to wage a movement They urged all to join the movement for the sake of their own survival. They demanded for strict action against hoarders, warehouse keepers and traders to break the syndicate as well as introducing rationing systems for the poor in rural and urban areas. The alliance also demanded the withdrawal of a decision to hike the prices of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Besides, they urged to increase surveillance and supervision in the markets ensuring proper distribution of essential food items.

At least 23 leaders and activists of Left Democratic Alliance (LDA), including chief coordinator of Ganasanghati Andolan Zonayed Saki, were injured as police charged baton on their procession in Matsyabhaban area of the city on Monday.