The mystery death, a town in uproar and a $1bn UK mines deal (Bangladesh)

[struggle4progress]

Nasreen Huq was fighting a controversial opencast coal plan when she died in a car crash. Since then, conspiracy theories have multiplied and protests spiralled. Jamie Doward and Mahtab Haider report from Bangladesh

Sunday September 3, 2006
The Observer

.. Asia Energy, whose plush offices are in London's Piccadilly and whose shares trade on the London Stock Exchange, wants to mine 15 million tonnes of coal a year for the next 30 years in Phulbari in the north-western province of Dinajpur, selling most of it to fuel-hungry India and China.

This is a huge amount, making this one of the biggest mining projects of its type in the world. Backed by a number of leading British banks, including Barclays, the company will make a huge amount of money if it is allowed to dig for coal there. When Asia Energy signed a provisional agreement with the government in 1998, coal fetched £14.70 a tonne. Today, thanks to the soaring demand, it can fetch £52.50 a tonne if the quality is as high as that in Phulbari.

But Asia Energy's proposals to dramatically alter the landscape around the town have triggered an outcry. Last Saturday thousands of people marched through the town's streets where they were met by a force of armed police.

Both sides blame each other for what happened next. As protesters carrying bows and arrows clashed with the police, shots were fired. In the ensuing melee five people, including a 14-year-old boy, died and scores more were wounded, an event that on Wednesday triggered a national strike as thousands turned out to protest against the killings ..

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,1863721,00.html

[Kailassa]

1. Thank you. We need to pay more attention to what is

happening overseas.