Govt lobbying all over the world, says Anu Muhammad
Noted economist Prof Anu Muhammad yesterday said the government has been “lobbying” all over the world, spending people’s money, so that it can implement “Sundarbans-destroying projects without protest and with international consent”.
“They sought legitimacy through international lobbying for destroying the Sundarbans. What could be more shameful than this?” he said at a protest rally.
The National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports arranged the rally in front of the Jatiya Press Club in the capital, demanding immediate stop to Rampal Power Plant and other similar projects to save the Sundarbans, Bangladesh’s only Unesco-recognised world heritage site.
In 2017, a government delegation -- after meeting with Unesco -- had said in a press conference that Unseco has withdrawn all of its reservations against the Rampal project, said Prof Muhammad, also member secretary of the national committee.
“However, that was a blatant lie. Unesco did not withdraw its reservations,” he added.
The government did not stop there, but recently approved new projects for an oil-based power plant within 4 kilometers and a cement factory within 6 kilometers periphery of the Sundarbans, he said.
The projects have been awarded to those companies that are loan defaulters -- known for destroying the country’s assets and siphoning people’s money abroad, he further said.
So, Unesco’s decision to put the Sundarbans on the list of “world heritage in danger” has come against that backdrop, he said, adding this is going to be a great shame for Bangladesh.
Furthermore, a 10-member delegation is now in Azerbaijan to “lobby” for Rampal project, he said, referring to the state participation at the ongoing 43rd session of the World Heritage Committee in Baku.
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