Anti-Rampal project campaigners block city road

Progressive Students Alliance, a platform of left-leaning student organisations, held demonstrations in the capital on Tuesday, protesting at the Rampal coal-fired power plant project.
Their rally at the Shahbagh intersection disrupted traffic in the busy area for nearly an hour.
As per their scheduled programme, leaders and activist of the alliance brought out a protest rally on the Dhaka University campus around noon demanding cancellation of the project.
When the rally marched towards Shahbagh intersection, police obstructed them in front of the Faculty of Fine Arts.
A scuffle took place between the police and activists, leaving six people, including president of Chhatra Federation Umme Habiba Benazir, injured.
Angered by the incident, the alliance announced countrywide protest rallies against the project for August 18.
They withdrew the blockade after police officials requested them to clear the road.
Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company Ltd, a joint venture company formed by Dhaka and New Delhi, signed the contract on July 12 with Indian contractor BHEL to install the plant.
Environment experts have warned that the Rampal Power Plant project will bring more harm to the country than good, destroying the UNESCO World Heritage site, since the climate, topography, land use pattern, wetlands, floral and faunal diversity and quality of air and water in the Sunderbans will be affected due to the power plant.

News courtesy: www.newagebd.net