FE Report
Bangladesh Pipe and Tube-well Merchant's Association (BPAT) Thursday demanded withdrawal of the case filed by the Jagannath University authority against nearly 300 businessmen of the old part of Dhaka.
The association leaders claimed that some students ransacked their shops and looted cash worth Tk 2.7 million following a minor incident on Monday. Some students and businessmen were injured when the shop owners and their employees resisted the agitating students.
The association also filed a case against the students, who ransacked their shops and injured some association members.
Around 1500 shops in the North South Road remained closed on Tuesday and Wednesday to protest against the incident.
"We have incurred loss to the tune of Tk 60 million for the closure of our shops. We, the old Dhaka businessmen, will be forced to launch a movement, if the university authority does not withdraw the case," said the association president Md Zafarullah at a press conference held at his office in the city.
"We are ready to withdraw the case, if the university authority does the same. The association leaders also held meetings with the university authority but failed to reach an accord," he said.
The association will take a decision on launching a movement after discussion with the leaders of other associations in the old Dhaka, he said.
This is the main sales centre of all industrial products and hardware including rods, pipes, electrical accessories and sanitary fittings. If the situation turns unstable industrial production might come to a halt, he warned.
"We will discuss with the leaders of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) and other associations in the old Dhaka to settle the matter," he added.
Uneasy calm prevails in old city
FE Team | Published: May 15, 2009 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00
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