Dhaka, Aug 3 - The battle lines have been drawn in Bangladesh against India's proposed Tipaimukh dam with opposition leader Khaleda Zia accusing the Sheikh Hasina government of hatching 'a foreign conspiracy' and blessing a 'long march' against the dam.

Zia alleged at a rally Sunday that India was building the dam 'step by step', contravening a promise its Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made to his counterpart Sheikh Hasina at a meeting on the sidelines of the 15th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit that New Delhi would do nothing to hurt Dhaka's interests.

'Where is... that assurance?' she asked of Manmohan Singh, according to United News of Bangladesh (UNB) news agency.

She blessed a three-day long march towards Tipaimukh Aug 8 from the Central Shaheed Minar (martyrs' memorial) in Dhaka to press the Indian government to stop the controversial dam project.

The route of the motorcade will be Dhaka-Moulvibazar-Sylhet-Zakiganj-Tipaimukh (India), the Daily Star said Monday.

The march is being organised by the Tipaimukh Dam Prevention Committee (TDPC) and Sylhet Division Development Action Council (SDDAC).

Zia, however, refused to join the protest.