Potato growers stage demo, block road

Potato growers in the district on Wednesday staged demonstrations and blocked road in the city’s Mahiganj Satmatha area to press home their eight-point demand, including compensation for the affected growers of the vegetable. The other demands include purchasing potato by the government from the growers, fixing potato preservation cost at Tk 150 per sack in cold storages and providing loans to the growers. Witnesses said over 400 growers under the banner ‘Samajtantrik Khetmujur and Krishak Front’ blocked the Rangpur-Kurigram road for one hour from 11 am and vented their anger dumping potatoes on the road. Due to the strike, vehicular movement on the road remained suspended, causing immense sufferings to passengers, according to a news agency.