Agitation for power in several districts

Power subscribers yesterday ransacked Palli Bidyut office and assaulted resident engineer at Ujirpur upazila headquarters in Barisal.
They also clashed with police and attacked the jeep of the local upazila nirbahi officer (UNO). At least 12 people, including UNO Priyasindhu Talukder, were injured during the clash.
Meanwhile, agitations for power were also reported from Brahmanbaria, Jessore and Gopalganj yesterday.
At Ujirpur, agitating subscribers went to Palli Bidyut office at around 8:30am and besieged the office demanding power supply. At one stage, they assaulted resident engineer Lutfar Rahman and ransacked the power office, according to a correspondent.
As the UNO went to the spot to rescue the resident engineer, the power-hungry people attacked his jeep and beat up office assistant Anwar Hossain.
The agitators clashed with police when they reached there to bring the situation under control. They hurled brickbats at the law enforcers and the officials of upazila administration during the clash that continued for an hour.
Police arrested five agitators on the spot. They are local trader Jalal Sikder, Rezaul Hossain, Chandu Molla, Matiur Rahman and Noman.
Of the injured, engineer Lutfor Rahman, assistant officer of upazila cooperatives office Nurul Islam Hawlader and UNO office employees Nurul Islam Khalifa, Sohrab Hossain and Syed Abdur Rahman and police constable Mahatab Uddin took first aid from Ujirpur Upazila Health Complex.
Our Brahmanbaria correspondent reported that Nagorik Forum took out a procession in the town yesterday morning and then formed a human chain protesting erratic power supply.
Several hundred people joined the procession that started from in front of the local press club at around 11:00am. After parading the main streets, the processionists formed a human chain at Tofael Azam Road, according to our correspondent.
Addressing a rally at the venue, the speakers said frequent load shedding has made life of the townspeople miserable. They alleged that small industries have become dysfunctional and activities at business firms and other organisations are being greatly hampered as electricity goes off frequently.
The agitating people urged the authorities concerned to resolve the problem within the next seven days. Otherwise, they threatened to launch a tougher agitation programme.
According to a correspondent from Jessore, around 500 hundred women besieged the deputy commissioner's office yesterday morning demanding smooth supply of water and electricity in the town.
They also submitted a memorandum to the DC demanding quick solution to water and power crises.
Earlier, the agitating women brought out a procession in the town with empty pitchers and lanterns.
In Gopalganj, farmers staged a demonstration in the district town yesterday demanding smooth power supply to keep power pumps operational.
They alleged that growing Irri-boro plants are being destroyed due to lack of water. The farmers urged the government to ensure power supply so that they can operate the pumps to irrigate their croplands.