Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 03 2009:
To drum up Bangladesh demand to stop construction of planned Tipaimukh dam British MP George Galloway and a large delegation from Britain marched on Sunday from Sylhet city to the Bangladesh border with India where the river Barak divides into the Surma and
Kushiara.
According to information received by the press, the British delegation along with a huge Bangladeshi crowd began the long-march towards the site of India's proposed Tipaimukh Dam in the morning.
Border guards stopped them from crossing the border.
The march was arranged to draw global attention to the devastating potential impact of the proposed dam on Sylhet and the entire north-eastern region of Bangladesh.
"The potential impact on both depriving Sylhet of vital water and threatening serious flooding make this a 'weapon of mass destruction' aimed at the heart of Sylhet and the people of Bangladesh," Galloway said.
Along with George Galloway MP, the delegates include MP candidate from Respect for the upcoming UK election, councillors Abjol Miah and M Mamunur Rashid, and 17 other British representatives.
Galloway has already met with the former prime minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, former president and Jatiya Party chairman H M Ershad, Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Motiur Rahman Nijami and Sylhet Mayor Badruddin Ahmed Kamran.
They will meet with the president Zillur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina this week.