The National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports has called for countrywide protest rallies, including in the capital, for February 26 to press home their seven point demands and cancellation of the 1,320MW coal-fired Rampal power plant project.
The announcement came from a press conference held at Mukti Bhaban auditorium in the capital’s Purana Paltan yesterday.
Kollol Mustafa, a member of the citizen’s platform, in a written statement said: “The government has been ignoring the public demand for cancelling the Rampal power plant project which will destroy the biodiversity of the Sundarbans.”
He alleged that the government was protecting the interests of local and international land grabbers rather than the environmental threats.
“Indian company NTPC is implementing the project violating the law of their country and as a result, [Bangladeshi] people have to buy electricity in higher price to provide more profits for them,” he said.
Among others, Convener of the organisation Sheikh Mohammad Shahidullah and member Ruhin Hossain were present at the programme.
The national committee in September last year observed a long march demanding annulment of the power project, situated on the bank of Pashur River, in Bagerhat. The prime minister inaugurated the construction of the plant in early October.
Speakers at the press conference said the government had chosen a dangerous path for the benefit of land grabbers under the pretext of mitigating power crisis.
Apart from halting the Rampal project, their other demands include cancelling the agreements of quick rental power, setting up new plants under the government arrangement and renovating the state-owned power plants and enacting a law for banning export of mineral resources.