The national committee to protect oil, gas, mineral resources, power and ports holds a press conference in Dhaka on Friday, putting out a call for the observance of August 26 as Phulbari Day. — New Age photo

The National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports on Friday asked the government to implement the Phulbari agreement, signed on August 30, 2006, in its entirety.
The national committee member-secretary Anu Muhammad at a press conference in the city called on the people to observe the sixth anniversary of Phulbari upsurge on August 26, the day on which three people were killed in police firing on demonstrators demanding cancellation of the agreement with Asia Energy for extraction of coal from the Phulbari coal mine through open-pit method.
The programmes chalked by the national committee to observe the day includes placing of wreaths at Pulbari Shaheed Smriti Minar and a rally at Nimtali crossing there, and placing of wreaths and a discussion at the Central Shaheed Minar and other Shaheed Minars across the country.
The committee made a seven-point demand, including a ban on open-pit method in coal extraction, expulsion of Asia Energy from the country, implementation of the Phulbari agreement, stopping open-pit method in Barapukuria coal mine, cancellation of the agreement with Conoco-Phillips for extraction of offshore gas and cancellation of quick rental system for power production.
The committee convener, Sheikh Muhammad Shaheedullah, leaders Syed Abul Maksud, Ruhin Hossain Prince, Zonayed Saki, Ragib Ahsan Munna, Abdus Satter and Mosharraf Hossain Nannu attended the press conference at the central office of the Communist Party of Bangladesh.