Govt had to take a difficult decision: planning minister

The government had to make a difficult decision regarding the construction of Rampal coal power plant, because the country needs more power to meet the national demand, said Planning Minister MA Mannan yesterday.

He said this at a ceremony organised by Bangladesh National Committee of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) members at a city hotel.

“There have been talks on Rampal [power plant]. We are aware of it. Isn’t the Sundarbans our heritage, our asset?” he added.

The minister made the comments amid concerns from environmental groups that by moving ahead with the coal-based power plant project near the Sundarbans, the government is putting the forest’s biodiversity at great risk.

Addressing the ceremony as chief guest, the minister said the government has a target of bringing electricity to 100 percent households within this year.

At present, the government can bring power to 92 percent homes, he said.

On conserving biodiversity, he said “being in nature through adaptation” is one of the key policies of the present government.

“The government’s priority is to maintain the pristine condition of the country’s wetlands including haors, canals, ponds, and rivers,” said the minister.

He also said the government has established its Green Climate Fund with its own money and is trying to address climate change related issues.

Lauding IUCN’s activities in Bangladesh, the minister said the government would provide funding if any IUCN member comes up with a doable research-based project.

German ambassador in Bangladesh Peter Fahrenholtz said, Rampal power plant together with the expansion of Mongla port has the potential to “impact the ecology and biodiversity of the Sundarbans severely.”

At the ceremony, Bangladesh Platform for Sustainable Biodiversity Conservation was formally launched.

An initiative of IUCN Members in Bangladesh, the platform aims to promote a greater understanding on the country’s biodiversity and its key policy challenges both domestically and internationally, said Hasna Jasimuddin Moudud, chairperson of Bangladesh National Committee of IUCN.

Norwegian ambassador in Bangladesh Sidsel Bleken also spoke at the programme.

At the ceremony, the committee honoured journalist Mahfuz Ullah posthumously with an award for his “environmental achievement.”