8-hour hartal: Cops fire tear gas at anti-Rampal activists

Police dispersed the anti-Rampal power plant protesters using water cannons and firing tear gas shells after their procession reached Shahbagh intersection in the capital during their 8-hartal on Thursday morning.

The eight-hour hartal sponsored by the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports to press home their 7-point demand, including, scrapping coal-based Rampal power plant near the Sunderbans, began at 6am, in the capital.

The national committee would also hold protest rallies across the country today to realise their demands.

Earlier in a statement the convener of the committee said, the pedestrians, cycles, rickshaw-vans, ambulances, vehicles of the media houses, electricity and fire service, kitchen markets and medicine shops would remain out of hartal purview.