Phulbari

News coverage published in New Age of the demonstration that took place in Phulbari on the 1 January, 2013:

Protesters ask Asia Energy to remove local offices by Mar 30

The organisations doing movement against opencast mining of Phulbari coal mine by British company Asia Energy gave an ultimatum on Tuesday to withdraw its local offices by March 30.

Local unit of the National Committee to protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports and Phulbari Peshajibi Sangathan said the company must remove its two offices from Phulbari by that date.

The establishments will be destroyed if the company fails to heed to the demand by March 30, the protesters threatened.

The two organisations from separate rallies at Phulbari gave the ultimatum. They also brought out processions before the rallies.
The speakers at the rallies restated their condemnations of the government, saying that by favouring Asia Energy and its open-pit mining proposals it pushed the people of Phulbari towards absolute uncertainty.

National Committee Phulbari unit leaders Aminul Bablu, Joy Prakash Gupta, Shikder Sarker, Syed Saiful Islam Jewel and Phulbari Peshajibi Sangathan convener Murtoza Sharker Manik spoke at the rallies, among others.

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The following photographs were taken at the rally in Phulbari and are copyright of the National Committee of Bangladesh.