Long march ends today at Rampal

Rejecting the government press note on the Rampal power project, eminent economist Prof Anu Muhammad yesterday said the government was disregarding public opinion and ignoring the suggestions of experts by going ahead with the project.
“The people, who believe that the Sundarbans should be saved, have joined the movement in their own interest,” he told several rallies at Phultala, Daulatpur, and Khalispur upazilas in Khulna as the “Save the Sundarbans” long march travelled from Jessore to the divisional city.
The press note on Thursday claimed that a few organisations were spreading propaganda against the government initiative (Rampal power plant) to “mislead people” over the scheme.
Like a mother, the Sundarbans protects the coastal people from natural disasters, mentioned Anu Muhammad.
He called upon all to protest any activities that would put the forest in peril.
Organised by the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports, the long march was an attempt to get the government to cancel the project, just 14 kilometres off the world's largest mangrove forest.
More than 1,200 protesters set out on the long march from the capital's Jatiya Press Club on Tuesday.
The long march reached Khulna yesterday evening and is expected to reach Rampal today, where it will wind up with a rally at Digraj.
Convener of the national committee Sheikh Muhammad Shahidullah said people want electricity, but not at the cost of the Sundarbans, which provides livelihoods to thousands of people.
“The government must look for alternative methods and sites to set up the power plant,” he added.
The long march saw a higher attendance on the weekend yesterday as hundreds of environmentalists joined the programme from Jessore and Khulna to protest the government's decision to build a power plant near the Sundarbans.
Besides, many students and journalists from Dhaka kept arriving in Khulna throughout the day.
As the protesters travelled from Jessore to Khulna, leaders and activists of different cultural organisations, leftist political parties and their student wings joined the processions and rallies at Phultala, Daulatpur, and Khalispur upazilas.
National committee leaders Khalequzzaman, Tipu Biswas, Mohammad Shah Alam, Saiful Huq, Ruhin Hossain Prince, Zonayed Saki, Abul Hasan Rubel were present at the rallies, among others.
When the national committee set out on the long march on Tuesday to save the Sundarbans, the government on the following day fixed October 22 for laying the foundation stone of the power plant.
Talking to The Daily Star, Prof Anu Muhammad, member secretary of the national committee, yesterday said they will announce fresh agitation programmes today at the rally at Digraj.
Bangladesh and India had inked a deal on April 20 to set up the 1,320MW coal-fired power plant at Rampal.