Rail, Road Blockade in Phulbari
Locals say 'no' to open pit mining at Barapukuria
Supporters of National Committee for Protection of Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Port set fire to the rail tracks during their six-hour-long road, rail blockade programme in Phulbari upazila of Dinajpur district yesterday protesting the government's move for open pit mining at Barapukuria.Photo: STAR
National Committee for Protection of Oil, Gas, Mineral resources, Power and Port, supported by a section of locals, observed a six-hour-long road and rail blockade programme in Phulbari upazila yesterday in protest against the government's plan to go for open pit mining at Barapukuria. The speakers at a rally on the occasion also urged the government to meet the six-point demand as per the agreement signed on August 30 in 2006, following the death of three people on August 26 the same year when aggrieved villagers tried to besiege the Asia Energy office in Phulbari. During yesterday's programme, the agitators damaged two microbuses, a motorcycle and a bicycle. The blockade programme that started at 6:00am forced the railway authorities to reschedule the times of seven intercity trains plying different routes from Dinajpur to Dhaka, Rajshahi and Khulna. The trains that departed from their respective stations remained stranded at railway stations in Birampur and Parbatipur upazilas, much to the sufferings of thousands of passengers, said Md Abdus Sattar, stationmaster of Phulbari railway station. The protesters also burnt tyres and continued picketing at different places of Phulbari upazila, disrupting road communication between Dinajpur and other parts of the country during the six-hour-long blockade programme. At a rally held at Dhaka Moar, Anu Muhammad, secretary general of National Committee for Protection of Oil, Gas, Mineral resources, Power and Port, and its convener Sheikh Muhammad Shahidullah, local leaders and a few leaders of left leaning parties spoke. At the rally chaired by Syed Saiful Islam Jewel, convener of Phulbari unit of the protection committee, the speakers gave more 15 days to meet their demand. Earlier on February 28, the leaders observed a blockade programme at the same places and gave a 30-day ultimatum for the same. Ahead of yesterday's protest programme, police and Rapid Action Battalion members were deployed on Sunday night to tighten security of Asia Energy Office, Phulbari Railway station and other key establishments in the upazila, sources of Dinajpur police administration said.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments