Hartal observed in Bagerhat

A half-day hartal called by the councillors of the municipality to protest attack on one of their colleagues passed off peacefully in the town yesterday.
During the hartal started at 6:00am, they also demanded action against the culprits who attacked victim Sardar Shamim Ashhan, 43, councillor of ward No. 01 and removal of the officer in-charge of Sadar Model police station.
The municipality has threatened to stop water and electricity supply and removing garbage from the municipal area from today if their demands were not met.
Shamim, also the former general secretary of the district unit AL front organisation, was allegedly attacked by a leader of a pro-BNP body on Saturday.
Protesting the attack, local leaders and activists of the ruling party vandalised the houses of two BNP leaders. At least five policemen were injured during the incident.
Shamim was taking tea at a stall in front of his office on the day when organising secretary of Swechhasebok Dal district unit Khadem Niamul Kadir appeared on the scene and beat Shamim.
Shamim was rushed to a private clinic in Khulna from where he was shifted to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital.
On Sunday morning, the agitated AL men brought out a procession and swooped on the houses of Niamul Kader and municipal BNP unit president Sheikh Shahed Ali.
Abu Jihad Fakhrul Alam, inspector (investigation) of the PS, said there was a longstanding feud between the councillor and the attacker, over establishing supremacy in the area.
The municipal council convened an emergency meeting on Sunday morning over the attack and called the hartal in the municipal area.