BNP deplores govt inaction
BNP's probe body formed to investigate the oil slick in the Shela river yesterday blamed the government for not taking immediate measures to remove the oil which threatens the ecological balance of the world's largest mangrove forest.
"The government's inaction, negligence and lack of coordination among the authorities concerned were the main reasons behind the disaster in the Sundarbans,” said BNP Vice-Chairman Hafiz Uddin Ahmed who headed the seven-member probe team.
The forest department has filed a case claiming Tk 100 crore as compensation but the real loss will amount nearly to Tk 500 crore, he said while briefing reporters about the probe committee's findings at the BNP Chairperson's political office in the capital's Gulshan.
The probe body visited the affected areas of the Sundarbans for a week from December 22 to assess the environmental implications of the disaster.
The government's delayed and half-hearted response to remove the oil is taking a heavy toll on the forest's biodiversity, alleged Hafiz who was a former water resources minister.
"Surprisingly, the prime minister didn't immediately respond to such a disaster. It took her six days to ask the Khulna divisional commissioner to take action,” the BNP leader said.
Despite the PM's order, no effective measures were taken by the authorities to remove the oil or protect the forest's biodiversity, Hafiz lamented.
Referring to local people's efforts to remove oil, Hafiz said the government made a mistake by not deploying Coast Guards or Navy to do the job.
He claimed that the tanker which usually carried sand and stones was carrying oil illegally through the Shela river.
A ruling party minister's relative was the owner of the tanker that did not have a fitness certificate, Hafiz alleged.
He also demanded arrest and maximum punishment of those responsible for the accident.
The probe committee came up with a few recommendations to protect the Sundarbans.
The recommendations included permanently banning movement of all vessels through the Sundarbans, opening the Ghasiakhali-Mongla channel immediately, revoking all plans to build thermal power plants, ship-breaking industry etc. within 25km of the forest.
BNP acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Khulna City Corporation Mayor Maniruzzaman Moni, BNP leader Nazrul Islam Manju, among others, were present at the briefing.
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