Source: Hueiyen News Service / Agencies
Dawki, August 10 2009:
The Border Security Force (BSF) have been put on alert as 12,000 agitators from Bangladesh advanced towards the country's borders for a 'Long March' protesting the Tipaimukh dam project at the trijunction of Assam-Manipur-Mizoram.
The 'Long March' was kicked off in Dhaka on Saturday.
The marchers are heading to Sylhet, 272 km northeast of Dhaka, where they would reach on Tuesday and then proceed to the Indian border.
Sylhet district borders Assam and Meghalaya, official sources said.
"We will ensure that no untoward situation arises," a BSF spokesman said, adding that the troops were also prepared to thwart any possible infiltration attempt taking advantage of the gathering of massive crowd at the borders.
Bangladesh is protesting against the proposed Tipaimukh dam as it fears catastrophic destruction in the greater Sylhet area as it would block the flow of Barak river, the main river flowing through the plains of Bangladesh to Bay of Bengal.
Several leading NGOs and main Opposition party of Bangladesh - Bangladesh National Party (BNP), are participating in the 'Long March'.
A "long-march" to protest the proposed Tipaimukh dam project in India has been kicked off in the Bangladeshi capital.
The marchers are headed to Sylhet in northeastern Bangladesh and then on to the Indian border, a media report said Sunday.
The "long march" was flagged off Saturday and should reach Sylhet, located 272 km northeast of Dhaka, by Tuesday.
The district borders India's Assam and Meghalaya states.
"It was announced at the rally that after reaching Sylhet, the participants would march on towards the border with India," The Daily Star reported Sunday.
Different groups have been protesting India's plans to build a dam on Barak river at Tipaimukh in Manipur state.
Members of the Tipaimukh Bandh Protirodh Committee and Sylhet Bibhag Unnayan Sangram Parishad began their march from the capital's Central Shaheed Minar, the national martyrs' memorial, after a rally.
The march is aimed at creating awareness among the people against the construction of the Tipaimukh dam as well as to forge national unity on the issue, organisers said.
The march participants walked to Muktangon from the Shaheed Minar and later boarded a bus for Sylhet.