Time News Desk: Countreywide half-day hartal called by the Left Democratic Alliance, a combine of seven left political parties, protesting at recent price hike of fuel oils, fertiliser and essential commodities for Thursday, is being observed in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country.

The hartal began at 6:00am will continue until noon. No untoward incident was reported.

In Dhaka, LDA leaders and activists were seen picketing at places including Purana Paltan, Matijheel, Shahbagh, Jurain and Mirpur, reports received from the areas said.

They had been chanting slogans to press home their demands and describing the woes of the common people due to the price hike.

As the time passed, the number of vehicles on roads increased. Most of the shops in the areas were also kept open.

Additional police forces were seen deployed at different places of the city.

Our Staff Correspondent in Chattogram reported that the LDA called half-day countrywide strike for Thursday was being observed in the port city.

The party leaders in Chattogram gathered in front of the New Market area at about 6:00am, Al Kaderi Joy, in-charge of Socialist party of Bangladesh’s Chattogram district unit said.

The party leaders also hold rallies at Kotwali, Firingi Bazar, Station Road areas in support of the strike, he said.

Vehicular movement in these areas were seen less but it was seen normal in the other areas.

Md Jahidul Kabir, officer-in-charge of Kotwali police station, told that no untoward situation occurred during the strike.

'Additional police forces were deployed at some areas in Kotwali,' the OC said.

Reports received from Khulna and Jashore said that the hartal was being observed in the districts in a relaxed way.

The government on August 5 increased prices of diesel, petrol and octane by up to 51 per cent, causing further hikes in the essential commodity prices and transport fares.

SK