'Implement Phulbari agreement'

The committee leaders were speaking at a rally at in the city yesterday.

Speaking at the programme Member Secretary of the Committee Prof Anu Muhammad criticised the government for dilly-dallying the implementation of the agreement signed on August 30.

'If the BNP-led ruling alliance hands over power without starting implementation of the agreement, people would treat them as betrayers', he said.

Implementation of the agreement would revive government's image, he said, adding 'If it does not implement the agreement, people of Phulbari would resist any company, which would try to extract coal through open-pit method'.

He also said that instead of protecting the interests of common people the government so far has been protecting Asia Energy Corporation's (AEC) interest.

The government is yet to take any clear decision regarding the AEC, he added.

Speaking at the programme Communist Party of Bangladesh President Monjurul Ahsan Khan said the people of Phulbari not only saved their own land but also saved the environment, life, livelihood, bio-diversity and mineral resources of the whole country from extinction.

Addressing the rally Prof MM Akash said that people of Phulbari proved that there is no alternative to forging united movement to resist the government from taking any anti-people project in the name of development.

After the rally at Muktangan they headed towards the Energy Ministry to stage a sit-in programme there. But police intercepted them at Zero-point where they held a demonstration.

Convenor of the Committee Engineer Sheikh Shahidul Islam presided over the programme while General Secretary of Workers' Party Bimal Biswas, Ruhin Hossain Prince and other leaders also spoke.