Our Correspondent :
The Phulbari Tragedy Day observed on Wednesday with the demand for full implementation of the six-point Phulbari agreement signed between the government and the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports.
The residents of Phulbari have taken elaborate programs in remembrance of the people who were shot dead by law enforcers while protesting against Asia Energy’s move to go for open-pit coal mining at Phulbari in Dinajpur on August 26 in 2006.
On this day 14 years ago, three demonstrators – Amin, Salaken, and Tarequl – were shot dead and more than 300 people injured when Bangladesh Rifles (now Border Guard Bangladesh) personnel opened fire to disperse the protesters.
After four days of the incident, the then BNP-led government signed a six-point agreement with the protesters led by the national committee.
The government agreed to cancel Asia Energy’s work permit in Bangladesh, scrap plans for open-pit mining, compensate the victims of BDR firing, and withdraw complaints lodged against the Phulbari protesters. The then leader of the opposition Sheikh Hasina, now the prime minister, extending her support to the protesters, vowed that she would implement the agreement if she came to power.
But the agreement, however, is yet to be fully executed although 14 years have elapsed, alleged local leaders of the national committee.
The injured are still deprived of due compensation while the government has not scrapped its plan for open-pit mining at Barapukuria coal field violating the Phulbari agreement, they said.
The Phulbari branch of the national committee hoisted black flags in the morning, wore black badges, and placed wreaths at the Phulbari monument.
The Phulbari Tragedy Day observed on Wednesday with the demand for full implementation of the six-point Phulbari agreement signed between the government and the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports.
The residents of Phulbari have taken elaborate programs in remembrance of the people who were shot dead by law enforcers while protesting against Asia Energy’s move to go for open-pit coal mining at Phulbari in Dinajpur on August 26 in 2006.
On this day 14 years ago, three demonstrators – Amin, Salaken, and Tarequl – were shot dead and more than 300 people injured when Bangladesh Rifles (now Border Guard Bangladesh) personnel opened fire to disperse the protesters.
After four days of the incident, the then BNP-led government signed a six-point agreement with the protesters led by the national committee.
The government agreed to cancel Asia Energy’s work permit in Bangladesh, scrap plans for open-pit mining, compensate the victims of BDR firing, and withdraw complaints lodged against the Phulbari protesters. The then leader of the opposition Sheikh Hasina, now the prime minister, extending her support to the protesters, vowed that she would implement the agreement if she came to power.
But the agreement, however, is yet to be fully executed although 14 years have elapsed, alleged local leaders of the national committee.
The injured are still deprived of due compensation while the government has not scrapped its plan for open-pit mining at Barapukuria coal field violating the Phulbari agreement, they said.
The Phulbari branch of the national committee hoisted black flags in the morning, wore black badges, and placed wreaths at the Phulbari monument.
