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Thursday, January 12, 2012

Stop Tipaimukh Dam, demo before UN

The message was loud and clear."Stop Tipaimukh Dam" or "We shall boycott your goods."In a bitter cold winter onTuesday afternoon, hundreds of Bangladeshis from Three states (New York, NewJersey and Connecticut) at a human chain before the UN buildings protestedagainst the Indian Government's move to build Tipaimukh Dam which would destroy biodiversity, ruin livelihoods of people and cause economic disaster to Bangladesh.(The New Nation)

Participants joined thedemonstration with festoons, placards, banners and flags raised voice thatIndia broke its earlier promise that it would not take any steps regarding thedam that could harm Bangladesh. But despite protests from millions of people,the governmnent of neighboring India is taking up this disastrous projectviolating international law and bilateral agreements. The dam is going to causesevere natural and human catastrophe in Bangladesh, the demonstrators said.'Untiland unless our water rights are guaranteed, Bangladesh with the assistance ofother friendly countries must create pressure on India from the internationalcommunity to ensure its rightful water shares in common rivers.' To mountpressure the protesters said they are considering the option to boycott Indian goods at home and abroad.

IFC (International FarakkaCommittee, Inc New York) organised the program in cooperation withrepresentatives of different socio-cultural organisations of expatriate Bangladeshin the US.

In a press statement signed byits Chairman Atiqur Rahman Salu, urged the Bangladesh government to lodge acase with the International Court of Justice against the Indian government'smove.

'How long we should wait, whileour fundamental and basic rights are denied? We can no longer trust the government of India and are making ourpetition to the highest authority of the world, the United Nations, to enforceinternational laws and conventions,' he said in the statement.

Syed Tipu Sultan, secretarygeneral, IFC, Sirin Akhter, Principal Afser Uddin, Anjumanara Begum, AtaurRahman Ata, Abdur Rahim, Millat Uddin and Salina Ahshan among others, spoke onthe occasion.

Later, IFC leaders handed over amemorandum to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki moon.