Letter to Asia Energy
'Withdraw it or face tougher agitation from Nov 23'
The district unit of National Committee for Protection of Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Port has urged the government to withdraw its letters issued to the district and Phulbari upazila administrations to help Asia Energy resume its activities there.
Md Altaf Hossain, Dinajpur unit convener of the committee, made the request at a press conference held at the local press club on Saturday. He also threatened to announce a tougher agitation programme on November 23 if the decision was not withdrawn by the time.
He claimed that the home ministry on October 29 issued letters to the deputy commissioner of Dinajpur, the upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Phulbari and the mayor of Phulbari municipality to take necessary steps to help Asia Energy resume its activities.
Rabiul Awal Khoka, general secretary of the committee's district unit, Syed Saiful Islam Babu and Joyprakash Gupta, convener and general secretary of Phulbari upazila unit, were also present at the press conference.
At the conference, the local leaders of the committee demanded that the government close the offices of Asia Energy in Dinajpur and other areas of the country.
On August 26, 2006, three people were shot dead, 50 bullet-hit, and 200 others injured as law enforcers opened fire and charged baton on the agitators who joined a gathering to besiege the office of Asia Energy in Phulbari upazila protesting the planned open pit mining by Asia Energy.
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