Dhubri, June 5: Frequent bandhs have become the bane in the Lower Assam districts, disrupting life in the region and crippling commerce. With the number of trucks trickling in to these districts from various parts of the country down to a fraction of the normal volume, trade has been badly hit.
Only two months into the financial year 2005-06, there has been as many as 28 bandhs in Lower Assam. Of these 12 bandhs were statewide, three local bandhs in Dhubri district, five in Kokrajhar district, four in Goalpara district and four in Barpeta district.
An 100-hour road blockade, put up by Assam Koch Rajbongshi Students? Union (AKRSU), is on. If it indeed lasts the 100 hours, it will mark 32 days of bandhs and blockades in the last 65 days (from April 1 to June 4).
But worse may be yet to come with AKRSU threatening to call an indefinite bandh from June 6, if 14 of its activists arrested by the police are not released immediately.
Altogether 1,852 AKRSU picketeers were picked by the police from Srirampur, under Gossaigaon sub-division of Kokrajhar district, on the first day of the blockade on June 2. But while most were released 14 were arrested and sent to jail. Talking to The Telegraph, president of AKRSU Biswajeet Roy said that if the activists were not released unconditionally and the Gossaigaon SDPO, Singharam Mili not transferred before June 5, the union would call an indefinite Assam bandh.
?SDPO Mili used filthy language about the Koch-Rabongshi community. We have taken this very seriously and we will not rest till he is transferred from Gossaigaon. They will have to release all 14 of our activists as well,? Roy warned.
Incidentally, in view of the frequent bandhs, the Bongaigaon district administration organised an emergent meeting on June 1 chaired by the Bongaigaon deputy commissioner, Mrigen Kalita.
He admitted that bandhs in the districts had crippled public lives, however, he claimed that the 100-hour blockade has had little effect in the district.
?Bongaigaon district administration issued notices to all the government and semi-government concerns, including the private bus operators and schools, to adhere to the rules and not respond to the frequent bandh calls by various organisations,? Kalita informed.
