Dhaka: Strongly protesting the police attack on a march of the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports towards the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), BNP on Friday alleged that the government is setting up Rampal Thermal Power Plant near the Sundarban to 'promote' another country's interests.

‘This barbaric and cruel attack by police is another stigmatised example of snatching freedom of expression. We strongly protest and condemn the police attack on the programme demanding the cancellation of the deal to set up a power plant near the Sundarban,’ said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

Speaking at a press briefing at BNP chairperson's Gulshan office, he further said, ‘The attack on the activists of national committee also demonstrated that the government has taken the Rampal Power Plant project to implement another country's master plan by sacrificing the country's interests.’

Earlier on Thursday, police attacked and foiled a march of the national committee towards the PMO, demanding cancellation of building 1,320MW power plant near the Sundarban.

Mentioning that the government has come to power with India's support, not with people's votes, Rizvi said this regime is deceiving people by saying about patriotism and public welfare. ‘No one will find any such example in the world that any government harmed its own country to protect another country's interests.’

He termed brave and real patriots those who are coming under attack and repressed for protesting the installation of the Rampal Power Plant.

The BNP leader said people are against the setting up of the power plant near the world's largest mangrove forest as it will badly affect its flora and fauna and the country's ecological balance.

He alleged that the government is pushing the country towards destruction by signing anti-sate agreements one after another.

Turning to the killing of nine militants in the city's Kalyanpur, Rizvi said it is now a burning question as to why the extremists are not captured alive. ‘Important and genuine information could have been found had the militants been arrested alive.’

He alleged that militancy is emerging as a serious problem for the nation due to the government's undemocratic attitude, stubbornness and wrong policies.