Rampal project rejected in mock referendum at CU

Teachers and students of Chittagong University (CU) casting ballots in a mock referendum on Rampal power plant have voted against establishing the project near the Sundarbans.

A total of 5,198 participants cast their votes that started on January 5 and concluded on January 21 -- an initiative of left-leaning student organisation Samajtantrik Chhatra Front (SCF).

Of the total participants, 4,777 voted for saving the Sundarbans (91.90 percent), world's largest mangrove forest, and 392 for the Rampal project (7.54 percent). However, 29 votes were rejected.

Engineer Delwar Mazumdar, member secretary of Chittagong chapter of the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports, announced the result yesterday at a programme at the university's Mukta Mancha.

Delwar said Rampal project, if implemented, will bring great disaster to the environment. “We can find out alternative source for electricity but it is impossible to find out any alternative for the Sundarbans,” he added. 

Hasan Maruf Rumi, coordinator of Gono Sanghati Andolan of Chittagong district, SCF central committee Vice-President Satyajit Biswas, Socialist Party (Marxist) Chittagong District unit member secretary Apu Das Gupta, and SCF CU unit Convener Fazle Rabby also spoke.