'Movement to continue until gas block lease cancelled'

Different political and cultural organisations yesterday gave separate statements supporting as well as opposing the half-day hartal called by the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Port on September 14.
In a statement, the committee leaders said they would continue to wage movement until the lease of oil and gas blocks in sea is cancelled.
They also urged the countrymen to take to the streets and make the programme a success to protect national resources.
The committee also held rallies at several places including Mohammadpur Town Hall, Mirpur 10 intersection, Pallabi-12, Tejgaon, Shantinagar and Paltan in the capital urging people to make the hartal a success.
The speakers said the hartal has been called to ensure people's 100 per cent right in oil and gas of the country.
They demanded extraction of gas in sea through fresh tender, full implementation of Fulbari deal and punishment to those involved in the police attack on their procession on September 2.
Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh in another statement criticised the speech of LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam stating that the grand-alliance government has taken stance against the interest of people and country by leasing out three gas blocks to foreign companies.
They also urged city dwellers to make the hartal a success.
Meanwhile, Joybangla Sangskritik Jote and Bangladesh Sinnow Mull Hawkers League in separate statements said the hartal would cause sufferings to people ahead of the religious festivals of both Muslims and Hindus.
They hoped that people will not take part in the hartal.
Workers Party of Bangladesh in a statement said hartal would have negative effect on the support of people towards protecting natural resources and thus help conspirators to carry out their conspiracy of exporting gas from the country.