Dhaka: Leaders of the National Committee to Protect Oil-Gas, Natural Resource and Power-Port on Tuesday urged the city dwellers to observe its planned half-day (6am-2 pm) hartal in the city on Thursday to join the "Save the Sundarbans" movement.   

Addressing a rally in front of National Press Club, they alleged that the government has been implementing the Rampal coal-fired power plant in a bid to serve the interest of Indian company NTPC and other vested groups.

"The government has been proceeding with the Rampal project ignoring the concerns of Unesco and other conscious people in and outside the country," said Prof Anu Mohammad, member secretary of the National Committee.    

He also alleged that the government as well as about 100 private firms is now surrounding the Sundarbans through their different business ventures.

If their ventures are successful, the Sundarbans will completely be destroyed, he added.

The meeting was also addressed by National Committee leaders Ruhin Hossain Prince, and Akbar Khan. Bazlur Rashid Firoze, Saiful Haque, Zonayed Saki, Moshrefa Mishu, Mosharraf Hossain Nannu and other leaders of the committee were present on the occasion.

The committee leaders informed that they would bring out torch processions on Wednesday evening from 25 city points in support of the shutdown.