At least seven organisations in separate statements criticised the attack in which five activists of Bangladesh Environment Lawyers Association (BELA) in Barisal were injured.

Injured BELA activists Suvash Chandra Das alias Netai, Sajal, Zahid Hossain and Imran were admitted to Barisal Sher-e- Bangla Medical College Hospital.

The pond in Dakbanglo Sharak area in Banaripara town was being filled up by BNP Whip Shahidul Huq Jamal reportedly for construction of a house. Reports and photos on the earth-filing was earlier published in national dailies.

The organisations which protested the attack include Barisal Nagorik Parishad, Barisal Cultural Bodies Coordination Council, Barisal Environmental Journalists Forum, Youth Human Rights Forum, Barisal Lawyers Association and Shabdaboli Theatre.

At least 20 prominent citizens of Barisal and Jhalakathi in a joint statement also protested the attack on environmentalists.

The protesters said filling up of any water body is illegal now. Permission from the environment ministry is needed for that.

They condemned the attack by ruling party activists and demanded punishment to them.

Sources in BELA in Barisal said they are awaiting guidelines from its head office in Dhaka to launch a protest programme in the divisional city and in Banaripara.

When contacted over cell phone, Whip Shahidul Huq Jamal denied involvement of his party activists in attack on environmentalists and said he knows nothing about the incident.

Jamal claimed that he purchased the 54 decimal pond at Tk 17 lakh from Anup, Pallab Guha Biswas and Tarikul Islam about four month ago.

He said the pond was abandoned and unused. So his attorneys advised him that environment ministry permission was not needed to fill it up.

On other hand, local people claimed that the old pond was being used by local people and that the municipal authorities constructed stairs for this.