KOLKATA: The SUCI has decided to call a Bangla bandh in the third week of August to demand, among others, reduction in power tariff and withdrawal of bus fare increase and the state government's decision to introduce capitation fee in medical education.

This will be the fourth Bangla bandh in the state this year. The party has also urged all the electricity consumers in Kolkata to switch off lights for half an hour on July 19 to force the government and the power utility to lower power tariff.

The state committee of the SUCI, which received several demands from members that the bandh be called for two consecutive days instead of for a single day, authorised the state secretariat to decide on the issue during its meeting to be held on Tuesday. The party had earlier threatened 48-hour bandh if its demands were not met.

The students' wing of the SUCI — the AIDSO — has already called a state-wide students' strike on July 29 to demand a withdrawal of the West Bengal government's decision to introduce capitation fees in medical colleges of the state.

The AIDSO has also demanded reduction of tuition fees and is protesting against what it describes as the BJP-led central government's plans to replace secular education with a Hindutva-based education system.

The party has also planned a large demonstration of workers in Kolkata on July 25 to protest against retrenchment and forced retirement of workers in the state as well as against the Centre and the state government's anti-worker policies.

The SUCI's decision to go for a Bangla bandh comes in the wake of chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's ever hardening resolve against any form of militancy in agitation.

Bhattacharjee had repeatedly urged political parties and trade unions in recent times not to resort to frequent strikes and wildcat agitations, arguing that this would have an adverse impact on the investment climate in the state.