- Title: Bangladesh police fire tear gas as energy hike protest turns violent
- Date: 15th March 2017
- Summary: DHAKA, BANGLADESH (MARCH 15, 2017) (REUTERS) POLICEWOMEN STAND GUARD BEHIND BARRICADES OUTSIDE THE ENERGY MINISTRY PROTESTERS AND MEMBERS OF THE LEFT WING PARTIES MARCH TOWARDS THE ENERGY MINISTRY VARIOUS OF ANGRY PROTESTERS REMOVING BARRICADES VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING AND SHOUTING SLOGANS VARIOUS OF GROUP PROTESTERS REMOVING THE BARRICADE AND HEADING TOWARDS THE MINISTRY VARIOUS OF CLASHES BETWEEN PROTESTERS AND POLICE VARIOUS OF WATER CANON SPRAYING AT PROTESTERS PROTESTERS THROWING THINGS AT BUS PROTESTER THROWING ROCKS AT WATER CANON TRUCK PLACARD READING "STOP PRICE HIKE OF FUEL, GAS & ELECTRICITY" PROTESTERS RUNNING PROTESTER TRYING TO ATTACK A POLICE VEHICLE (SOUNDBITE) (Bengali) LEADER OF THE BANGLADESH COMMUNIST PARTY, SAZZAD ZAHIR CHANDAN, SAYING: "We went to protest in front of the energy ministry to protest against the price hike, but police attacked our peaceful procession with bullets, tear gas and they used water cannon on us." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS SHOUT SLOGANS POLICE WATCHING
- Embargoed: 29th March 2017 10:20
- Keywords: Bangladesh protest clash water canon tear gas police barricades
- Location: DHAKA, BANGLADESH
- City: DHAKA, BANGLADESH
- Country: Bangladesh
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA001682L4JP
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Police in Bangladesh fired teargas and water cannons on Wednesday (March 15) to disperse hundreds of demonstrators trying to besiege the energy ministry in a protest against an increase in gas prices.
Starting from this month, gas prices are to be raised by an average of 22.7 percent in two phases. It is the second such hike within two years, despite objections from political parties and industry, including the $28-billion garments export sector.
Activists of leftist political parties threw bricks and smashed vehicles as they tried to make their way towards the ministry, police said, compelling them to break up the protest.
Several policemen were injured but no arrests have been made, police official Abul Hasan told Reuters.
Protesters said about 50 activists were injured and some were arrested.
Annual inflation in Bangladesh accelerated in February for the second straight month and could rise further, fuelled by a surge in the price of gas, widely used for cooking and operating vehicles.
The High Court has ordered a six-month stay on the second phase of the gas price increase from June, following a petition by a consumer rights group.
The government also plans to raise electricity tariffs, in a bid to cut subsidies, likely to further aggravate worries about the cost of living in the impoverished country of 160 million. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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