Life stops for 15 minutes in Rajshahi city

All activities were stopped for 15 minutes from 11 am at the call of Rajshahi Gas Andalon Parisad, a civic body agitating for long for gas supply.

Offices did not function, transports remained standstill on roads, pedestrians stood where they were and long human chains were formed in different areas of the city during the brief period.

The Parisad also stages a rally at Shaheb Bazaar in the afternoon. With Parishad Convener Mahtab Uddin in the chair, the rally was addressed by representatives of the elite and different professional groups.

The speakers said supply of gas to Rajshahi city was n election pledge of the BNP-Jamaat government. But it announced a plan to this effect at the fag end of its tenure. This is nothing but a bluff to the people to secure votes in the coming election. They demanded implementation of the plan before the next polls.

Earlier, the Parisad observed strike on several occasions in the city to press the demand.

Meanwhile, official sources said the government has already decided to supply of gas to the city and the project has been approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC).