March towards Indian HC foiled; 15 injured
Committee submits open letter to Indian PM
STAFF REPORTER
Members of National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Port have yesterday submitted an open letter to Indian High Commission to seek Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis intervention to scrap the joint Indo-Bangla Rampal power plant project near the Sundarbans.
A five member delegation comprised of the committee leaders BD Rahmatullah, Tanjimauddin Khan, Rehnuma Ahmed, Mosaida Sultana, Kafil Ahmed and Kollol Mustafa. BD Rahmatullah gave the letter to an official going inside the Indian High Commission, informed Kollol Mustafa.
Earlier, around 12pm police foiled a procession of the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Port towards Indian High Commission when it reached the capitals Mouchak area.
Sundarbans campaigners and left-leaning political activists, under the platform started the march from the Jatiya Press Club at 11am. Police, however, resisted the march at Malibagh rail crossing by lobbing 18 teargas canisters and spraying hot water on the green activists at about 1pm, leaving at least 15 activists injured, said leaders of the committee.
Later, the committees member secretary Prof Anu Muhammad addressed a brief rally at Malibagh Rail Gate. Condemning the police attack on the campaigners he declared a nationwide demonstration today (October 20).
He said, A march for submitting a letter is a democratic right. Police did too much with us, adding that protest programmes to scrap Rampal power plant project would continue.
However, the organisers were allowed to send a five-man delegation to the Indian High Commission later to hand over the open letter.
The government signed an agreement with Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) of India on July 12 to build the 1,320-MW coal-fired power plant at Rampal of Bagerhat district.
The USD 1.49-billion project is likely to start producing electricity in 2019. It would be financed by the Indian Exim Bank.
