Islami Andolon starts long march towards Tipaimukh Dam

---

Islami Andolon Bangladesh (IAB), led by its president Charmonai Peer Mufti Syed Rezaul Karim, Thursday started a three-day-long march from the capital towards the proposed Tipaimukh Dam site to press for scrapping the Indian project considered a big threat to Bangladesh's ecology, reports UNB.
Witnesses said more than 1,000 protesters joined the march chanting various slogans against the dam. They walked down to Jatrabari crossing from where they boarded buses, trucks and cars and proceeded towards Sylhet in the afternoon.
Addressing a pre-march rally at Muktangan, the Charmonai Peer said the people of Bangladeshi were now united to protect their motherland from the Indian conspiracy and described the Tipaimukh Dam as a death trap for Bangladesh.
He alleged that the grand alliance government had given legitimacy to the controversial dam and sold out Bangladesh's interests to please Indians.
The Charmonai Peer said the country's 30 districts would eventually turn into deserts if India built the dam over the Barak River violating international law.
BNP joint secretary Amanullah Aman, who also joined the pre-long march rally, said Bangladesh faced all types of crises whenever Awami League (AL) formed the government.
During the AL rule in the past, he said, Bangladesh's independence and sovereignty were at stake as Awami Leaguers had also become desperate to serve Indian interests.
The participants of the long march will stay overnight in Brahmanbaria after holding a rally at Belanagar in Narsingdi Thursday evening.
Another rally was scheduled to be held in Brahmanbaria district town on their arrival at night.
The march will resume today (Friday). They will also hold rallies at Sherpur in Moulvibazar and Shayestaganj in Habiganj districts.
On December 26, they will begin their last leg of journey towards Tipaimukh after holding a rally on the Sylhet Alia Madrasah maidan.
The pre-march rally was also addressed by IAB Nayeb-e-Ameer Moulana Abdur Rashid, Khelafat Majlish Ameer Prof Mohammad Ishaque, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish Ameer Principal Muhammad Habibur Rahman, Jatiya Gonotantrik Party president Shafiul Alam Pradhan, former water researcher of UN Engineer SI Khan, National People's Party chairman Sheikh Shawkat Hossain Nilu, NDP chairman Golam Mortaza, Islamic Party president Abdul Mobin, Bangladesh Jatiya Party secretary general Abu Naser Md Rahmatullah, Sylhet Division Unnayan Parishad president Abed Reza, Muslim League secretary general Kazi Abul Khair, NAP (Bhashani) president Sheikh Anwarul Haque and Bangladesh NAP secretary general Golam Mostafa Bhuiyan.