Eminent citizens yesterday strongly condemned police action' on Prof Anu Muhammad and other leaders and workers of the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports and demanded punishment to those responsible for the incident.

In a joint statement, they demanded an independent judicial probe committee to investigate the matter and take steps against those policemen who attacked the march of the organisation.

The civil society members .also denjanded medical assistance to all injured and adequate compensation for the victims to establish democratic values.

They hoped that the government would express its loyalty and gratitude to people by giving assurance of saving people's democratic as well as basic rights through halting extrajudicial killings in the name of 'crossfire' and saving national resources.

At least 30 people, including 10 policemen, were injured as activists of the committee clashed with the police on September 2 after the police intercepted a march of the committee against the government decision to lease three offshore gas blocks to foreign companies.

It is clear to all that this "terrorist action” was made to keep people away from protest against the government's illegal and anti-country activities, the citizens claimed.

The signatories to the statement include women leader Shirin Haq, NGO leader Khushi Kabir, university teachers Dr Shahdeen Malik Prof Firdous Azim, Sayema Khatun and Parvin Hasan and writer Omar Tareq Chowdhury.

Meanwhile, leaders of the national committee at a sit-in programme at Muktangan demanded cancellation of the government's decision to lease the three offshore gas blocks to foreign companies.

They also demanded formulation of a new model Production Sharing Contact (PSC) and cancellation of the previous one, which was formulated in 2008.

Addressing the programme, engineer Sheikh Muhammad Shahidullah, convener of the organisation, said, "The countrymen will never allow any multinational company to loot our gas resources. We will resist in strong hands.”

Jatiya Mukti Council organised a street drama, while Gono Sangskriti Forum held a protest rally in the city for the on same demands.