A deserted Kokrajhar town during the 12-hour BTC bandh on Tuesday. A Telegraph picture

Kokrajhar, Nov. 24: The 12-hour BTC bandh called by the pro-talks faction of the National Democratic Front of Boroland paralysed normal life in the Bodo belt today.

The bandh, the fifth in a month, was called in protest against the killing of Doren Daimary, a member of the outfit, allegedly by ex-BLT members, in the Jolaishree Alokjhar area under Kachugaon police station in Kokrajhar on Monday night.

The bandh evoked full response in the four BTC districts of Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa and Udalguri with all offices, educational institutions, financial institutions like banks, and business establishments including shops and markets, remaining closed.

Roads, including National Highway 31C too, wore a deserted look during the bandh period. Train services were, however, not affected.

The Adivasi Students’ Association of Assam, on the other hand, has called a 12-hour Kokrajhar district bandh in protest against rampant corruption at the Srirampur inter-state checkgate tomorrow.

Tomorrow’s bandh in the district will be the sixth in a month.

The flurry of bandhs in the region has raised concerns among the people of the belt regarding the economic and education environment in the area.

They accused the administration of doing nothing to stop the bandh culture in the Bodo belt.

“It is the common people, especially the poor like us who suffer. We feed on our hard-earned money by working daily. During a bandh, we can’t go for work and as such, cannot earn,” said a small-time vendor here.

Echoing him, another daily-wage earner said, “Who cares for the poor people like us. Who cares whether we get to eat or not. It’s people like us who have to bear the burden of the bandhs, so nobody cares.”

R. Brahma, a schoolteacher and social activist said, “Bandhs have become the easiest means to highlight the demands of the protesters. It’s time for us to realise the impact of a bandh on our lives. See the education scenario and the impact it has on our children. It’s time to raise our voice against bandh culture.”