The Bangabazar market in the city will now remain closed during the 8-hour hartal tomorrow, called by the mainstream Opposition. Shopkeepers were earlier divided over whether to keep the market open tomorrow as the Opposition has called a hartal from 6 am to 2 pm.

Union leaders of the market told The Daily Star that a section of the shopkeepers pleaded that the market should remain open on the hartal day. Later, an agreement to keep the market closed was reached following consultation with them, said one top union leader.

Meanwhile, witnesses said vehicles could not ply on the roads adjacent to the market for over an hour yesterday noon due to a row between two groups of shopkeepers over keeping the market open on the hartal day. When contacted. Ramna thana, however, could not confirm

Some shopkeepers, on condition of anonymity, told thia correspondent that many of them favoured the idea of keeping the market open on hartal day as an expression of gratitude to the government's monetary support in rebuilding the gutted market.

Meanwhile, only two weeks after reconstruction of the four markets at the Bangabazar, gutted tn a fire on November 27. over 100 shops in the market were burnt and looted again January 29.

Unions of the markets were negotiating with the authorities for a permanent security arrangement with Ansar personnel on guard. Presently, a group of 15 to 20 policemen were guarded the markets on a temporary arrangement.