Hartal

The title of this article is ambiguous. Further meanings are listed under Hartal (disambiguation) .

Hartal ( Gujarati : "Har" = "everything", "always", "Tal" / "Tala" = "close") denotes a form of strike . The term refers to a day of mourning or protest when all shops are closed, people don't work and don't shop.

The word was popularized by Mahatma Gandhi in India during the liberation struggle against the British . In early 1919, the British colonial power had put the Rowlatt Act into force, a law that extended the state of emergency from the First World War. With Gandhi the Hartal had a religious reference, according to which those involved in the protest should practice fasting and prayer in order to rule out violence.

In Bangladesh hartals occur very frequently; they are mostly proclaimed by the opposition or trade unions . In Bangladesh, at least, they are similar to a general strike .