'Oust Asia Energy'

The party declared to observe 'Phulbari Day' on September 2 to mark the event.

Asia Energy made huge money in the British Stock Exchange making a false claim that the company has full ownership of Phulbari Coalmine, the party leaders said at a press conference at its Topkhana Road office in the city.

"The process, whether the coal would be extracted through open-pit or tunnel method, is a secondary matter, though not less important, but the contract that the government made with Asia Energy was totally unfair," said Party Secretary Bimal Biswas.

Even Mahmudur Rahman, the executive chairman of Board of Investment, last March severely criticised the contract with Asia Energy saying that the country will get only six per cent of the coal, the leaders said.

The area would turn into a desert and some 50,000 families will be evicted if the company extracts coal in open-pit method, said the party leaders, which would also have long-term effects.

The party leaders vowed to observe the agitation today and hartal on August 30 in support of the National Committee for Protection of Oil-Gas-Port.