Nat’l committee expects all parties’ support to Thursday’s strike

National Committee to Protect Oil Gas Mineral Resources Power and Ports on Monday expressed its hope that people from all walks of life and all political parties, including the ruling Awami League, would support its half-day general strike in Dhaka for Thursday protesting against Rampal coal-based power plant. 
At a press conference at Mukti Bhaban in Dhaka, committee member secretary Anu Muhammad criticised prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s speech in a plenary session of the 47th annual meeting of World Economic Forum in Switzerland defending the power plant.
‘The prime minister has tarnished her personal image at such international event by disseminating wrong information about the protection of the Sunderbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest,’ Anu regretted. 
He questioned the prime minister’s advice to people to keep trust in her. 
He said that it was misleading as the government failed to check pollutions at the vicinity of the forests even far before commissioning of the plant. 
Citing Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s support to the half-day strike as a positive sign, Anu said that political leaders including ruling Awami League should give support as the strike was called to conserve the Sunderbans and protect people dependent on the forest. 
He urged city dwellers not to drive personal cars during the strike. 
‘We expect teachers, students, and other professionals including intellectuals and artistes would enforce the half-day strike in the capital spontaneously,’ Anu read out a written statement. 
Left-leaning political leaders Tipu Biswas, Morsheda Mishu, Ruhin Hossain Prince, Saiful Haque, Zohayed Saki, Bazlur Rashid Firoz, Mainuddin Chowdhury, Mosharraf Hossain Nannu, Manosh Nandi, among others, were present.
Leaders of the committee announced series of protest programmes including the half-day general strike at a rally held at Central Shaheed Minar on November 26, 2106.

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