Police use water cannon on strikers protesting gas prices hike

Police have used tear gas and water cannon to break up the protests during a half-day hartal, enforced by Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) and Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) protesting gas price hike.

The hartal supporters brought out a procession at Shahbagh intersection in the morning in support of their shutdown programme and then they took position there.

Meanwhile, police lobbed tear gas shells and used water cannon to disperse the protesters and detained seven of them which triggered a clash, leaving at least 16 injured.

Witnesses said chase and counter chase between the police and the protesters began around 10:00am. Later, police dispersed the protesters lobbing tear gas shells and using water cannon.

Earlier on Friday, CPB and BSD called the hartal in the capital from 6am to 12 noon protesting the gas price hike.


On Thursday, Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) raised the gas prices for all consumers which will come into effect in two phases.