National strike planned in Bangladesh to protest coal project activist killings

A nationwide strike is expected to paralyze Bangladesh Wednesday as thousands protest the death of five activists who were shot and killed Saturday while protesting the nation’s first mega-coal mining project.

Meanwhile, the district forestry department said 4 lakh (400,000) trees will have to be cut down to accommodate the project. Protestors claim 3,200 acres of forest would die because of mine dewatering. Project opponents claim the mine will pollute rivers, destroy biodiversity on farmlands and ruin historic and religious archaeological sites.
At full production, the open-pit coal mine will cover 2,000 hectares and yield 15 million tonnes annually. Mine dewatering is scheduled to begin this year with full-scale mining operations planned for 2007. The mine is expected to have a 30-plus year life with the entire operation covering 5,900 hectares. The Bangladeshi Government is expected to earn $7 billion in taxes, royalties, duties, and rail and port charges during the life of the mine.

Agitators set fire to houses in Phulbari Upazila (sub-region) and burned an effigy of Energy Advisor Mahmudur Rahman to protest the deaths, and to demand the expulsion of Asia Energy from Bangladesh. Coal mine protestors continued to demonstrate throughout the day Monday vandalizing the Asia Energy office and cutting off road and rail links between Dinajpur and other districts.

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