Tipaimukh : Bangladeshi protesters clash with cops outside Indian HC
Source: The Sangai Express / Anisur Rahman (PTI)

Dhaka, July 05 2009: Nearly a dozen people were injured when scores of protesters, including women today tried to gate crash into the Indian High Commission here demanding scrapping of the cross-border Tipaimukh Dam project, police said.

Cases were filed against 30 people including their two arrested leaders for "attempts to intrude the (Indian) High Commission using force and preventing policemen from discharging their duties," police added.

The clash also left three policemen injured.

A picture of Tipaimukh and the rivers that flow to B'desh

Nearly 35 protesters belonging to a left-leaning group 'Lamp Post' tried to enter into the High Commission complex at posh Gulshan area, chanting slogans and demanding withdrawal of Indian envoy Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty's.They also protested against alleged "killings of Bangladeshis' in frontier villages by the BSF" .

Extra policemen were immediately rushed to the scene as the protesters clashed with the security men, police sub-inspector Rafiqul Islam told PTI.

He said the protesters fled the scene while two of their leaders Ashish Koraia and Golam Mohammad Prince were arrested.

Indian High Commission officials declined to comment on the incident but a diplomat preferring anonymity said, "We heard that some people were injured outside our office".

Tipaimukh issue currently appeared to be at the center stage of Dhaka-New Delhi relations.

Foreign Minister Dipu Moni had earlier said Chakravarty perhaps defied his "limits" in commenting on Tipaimukh issue as he harshly criticised the critics of the project.

The Indian envoy told a June 21 function, also joined by Moni that "the so-called (Bangladeshi) water experts also say that India has violated international law (while) there is no binding international law on transnational rivers" while the comments sparked controversies.

Ruling Awami League spokesman and Local Government Minister Syed Ashraful Islam apparently, however, later came to the defence of the Indian envoy saying "as the representative of a friendly neighbouring country, he has expressed his opinion and views frankly".

In a subsequent development last week the main Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of ex-premier Khaleda Zia earlier demanded Chakravarty's withdrawal for "objectionable comments".

India said the dam on the Barak river was meant for producing hydro-electricity, not to withdraw water for irrigation purpose.

Bangladesh recently decided to send a Parliamentary delegation to the site along its northeastern frontier as suggested by New Delhi while Dhaka requested India to keep the project works suspended until the visit.

The Barak, which is divided in two streams, the Surma and Kushiyara entering in Bangladesh, is the main source of flow in Bangladesh's major Meghna basin covering the northeastern and central regions.