Int'l consensus created against Rampal
The government should step back from building the Rampal power plant because an international consensus has been created against its possible adverse impacts on the Sundarbans, environmental campaigner Prof Anu Muhammad said yesterday.
“The nation had a consensus that the power plant would leave devastating effects. Now it has turned into an international consensus,” he told a press briefing in the capital while announcing a half-day hartal in Dhaka metropolitan area for Thursday as part of a long-running protest.
Prof Muhammad, also member secretary of the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports, said the government should think about the biodiversity of the forest, which is a unique ecosystem and Unesco world heritage site.
“The government is repeatedly denying there will be any harm to the Sundarbans, which is illogical and unscientific,” he said.
The government plans to set up the 1,320MW coal-fired power plant in Rampal upazila of Bagerhat district, barely 14 kilometres off the forest.
On November 26 last year, the National Committee threatened to observe the half-day strike on January 26 if the government did not scrap the project by January 25.
The organisers said they would observe the hartal peacefully from 6:00am to 2:00pm. Pedestrians, bicycles, rickshaws, ambulances and vehicles carrying media persons will remain out of the purview of the hartal, they said.
In addition, the Committee members will hold protest and solidarity rallies, human chains, processions and render protest songs in the capital and elsewhere in the country.
Several political parties including BNP extended support to the movement to protect the world's largest mangrove forest.
Replying to a query, Prof Anu said the support of BNP and other political parties would strengthen their movement.
Reading out a written statement, the economics professor said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave “wrong information” while speaking in support of Rampal power plant recently.
The Committee had earlier written to the PM and also provided documents to the government, refuting its claims but they did not receive any reply, he said.
“There are alternative ways of producing electricity but the Sundarbans is unparalleled,” he added.
Left-leaning leaders including Zonayed Saki of Ganosamhati Andolon and Moshrefa Mishu of Garment Workers Oikya Forum were present at the press briefing.
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