At the press conference the speakers said their sit-in is in protest against the regime keen to open the rice market.

The present regime has never enforced a right agricultural policy, they deplored, accusing it of bringing agriculture to ruin by opening the rice market.

The rice issue is not just an issue of the farmers, they said, stressing the need for workers and other people to join them in their actions against the opening of the rice market.

They can never give up agriculture come what may, they said, stressing that they would fight it out against the ruling forces which are driving farmers into the street and threatening the life of the people.

The workers affiliated to the confederation would actively join the farmers in their protest against the opening of the rice market, they declared.