Godagari Upazila Nagorik Committee, a citizen's forum, organised the rally with its president Afzal Hossain in the chair.

Former vice-chancellor of Rajshahi University Dr Abdul Khaleque attended the rally as chief guest. It was addressed by, among others, Rajshahi Protection Movement Council Convenor Zamat Khan, politicians Fazle Hossain Badsha and Ohidur Rahman, lawyer Ekramur Rasul, engineer Shafiqul Islam, journalists Mustafijur Rahman Khan and a number of farmers.

The speakers alleged that BMDA, now headed by the brother of a minister, has constructed 11 kilometres of canals by forcibly occupying cultivable lands, making many farmers landless.

They said BMDA has been using groundwater excessively, endangering the ecology. It is also reaslising irrigation charges at higher rates and has leased government waterbodies to outsiders, creating problems for farmers in irrigating their lands.

The head of BMDA, being a government official, has given an NGO--CARB-- authority on 50 bighas of government land, they alleged.

The put forward a 14-point demand that includes introduction of state-provided seed, irrigation, fertiliser and pesticides; implementation of the North Rajshahi Irrigation Project and rehabilitation of erosion-affected farmers.