Phulbari campaigner in Bangladesh injured at protest

 The World Development Movement was shocked and saddened to hear that Professor Anu Muhammad was one of a number of protestors injured by police during a recent peaceful demonstration in Bangladesh.

Professor Muhammed, who is Secretary of the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, was protesting against the decision by the Bangladesh government to grant offshore oil and gas exploration deals in the Bay of Bengal for two international companies, ConocoPhillips and Tullow Oil plc.

Professor Muhammed has long been an opponent of the Phulbari open cast mine in Bangladesh, proposed by UK company Global Coal Management Resources, which would force more than 50,000 people off the land and threaten the water supplies of a further 100,000. Until a recent turnaround, the UK government publicly supported the proposed mine.

The World Development Movement worked closely with Professor Anu Muhammad on the Phulbari campaign and hosted his visit to the UK in December 2008, when he met with MPs, NGOs and the Bangladeshi community to raise awareness of the proposed Phulbari mine.

We wish Professor Anu Muhammed and the other injured protesters a quick and full recovery.