BANGLADESH NEWS
Residents of Barapukuria, affected by a coal mining project there, took out a 'stick procession' on Saturday demanding compensation for displacement.
Several thousand affected people of the area took part in the procession.
The residents, protesting under the banner of Jibon O Sampad Rakkha Committee, had also staged a five-day sit-in programme in front of the Barapukuria Coal Mining Company office a few days back. They announced to continue with their agitation as the administration did not accede to their demand on Friday.
Assistant Superintendent of Police Faruk Hossain said the administration had a cheque of Tk 200 million ready for the affected locals and the authorities had already offered it to them.
Convenor of the protestors' platform Ibrahim Khalil confirmed the administration's move regarding the cheque and told that they would continue the demonstration until the government compensated them fully for their losses.
ASP Faruk said a large number of police, Rapid Action Battalion and BGB personnel had been deployed in the mining area to avert any untoward incident.
"The administration will have to take responsibility of the consequences if our demands are not met in time and if our peaceful programmes take a turn for worse," Khalil warned.
Additional District Magistrate Abdul Malek, when contacted, declined comments on the issue.
The Managing Director of the Barapukuria Coal Mine, Engineer Kamruzzaman, however, claimed that coal extraction was going on normally.
Several thousand affected people of the area took part in the procession.
The residents, protesting under the banner of Jibon O Sampad Rakkha Committee, had also staged a five-day sit-in programme in front of the Barapukuria Coal Mining Company office a few days back. They announced to continue with their agitation as the administration did not accede to their demand on Friday.
Assistant Superintendent of Police Faruk Hossain said the administration had a cheque of Tk 200 million ready for the affected locals and the authorities had already offered it to them.
Convenor of the protestors' platform Ibrahim Khalil confirmed the administration's move regarding the cheque and told that they would continue the demonstration until the government compensated them fully for their losses.
ASP Faruk said a large number of police, Rapid Action Battalion and BGB personnel had been deployed in the mining area to avert any untoward incident.
"The administration will have to take responsibility of the consequences if our demands are not met in time and if our peaceful programmes take a turn for worse," Khalil warned.
Additional District Magistrate Abdul Malek, when contacted, declined comments on the issue.
The Managing Director of the Barapukuria Coal Mine, Engineer Kamruzzaman, however, claimed that coal extraction was going on normally.
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