The government has allowed fast-growing conglomerate S Alam Group to install a coal-based power plant in the coastal Gondamara Boroghona area of Chittagong’s Banshkhali, which is a locality of over 7,000 households and comprises arable land and salt and shrimp farms.
A Chinese company is associated with the project. In December 2013, S Alam Group struck an agreement with the SEPCOIII Electric Power Construction Corporation of China to set up the plant.
On February 16 of this year, the government signed power purchase agreements with two private joint ventures led by S Alam Group to purchase electricity at Tk6.61 per kilowatt-hour from the proposed 1,224MW power plant. The project needs 600 acres of land. The plant authorities say the Chinese company will manage 75% of the investment.
Even though all the preparations have already been completed, we did not hear that any Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was done, whereas no such project can be accepted without an EIA. Because the impacts of a project and profit and loss are measured through such an assessment.
Actually, the project involved a number of irregularities and forceful land acquisition since the beginning. The local administration suggested land acquisition in favour of S Alam Group, claiming that there are only 150 households. But in reality, there are over 7,000 families, 70 mosques, graveyards, and cremation grounds, 20 shelters, around 20 educational institutions, five marketplaces, and a government hospital.
Allegations of irregularities and intimidation in procuring land are not new. Many of the locals alleged that they were not given a fair price. This is why the locals have been agitating for quite a long time against the location of the power plant, and its land procurement and acquisition process. But as a result, they were intimidated by hoodlums and brokers.
The locals had suggested that the government selects land outside the densely-populated areas and pay the prices directly to the owners instead of using brokers. A peace rally was held at Gondamara Bazar on March 23 in presence of the UNO, ASP, and OC, and attended by around 30,000 people of the area. They asked the government to exclude the crowded areas while implementing the power plant project.
Despite that, supporters of S Alam Group went to the area on April 2 and subsequently faced resistance from the villagers. A case was filed over the incident and police arrested seven locals on April 3.
Enraged at the arrests, locals announced a rally for April 4 under the banner of Basat-Bhita Rokkha Committee (Homestead and Graveyard Protection Committee). To foil the rally, S Alam Group supporters called a counter rally at the same time, prompting the local administration to announce Section 144 (ban on public gathering).
The anti-plant protesters gathered at Gondamara for the rally but these unarmed people came under gunfire, first by the police and later by some criminals who arrived on motorcycles.
Five people, including a woman, were killed, while scores of others were left injured. The attackers even obstructed the people from taking the injured to the hospital. It is anticipated that the number of deaths could go up. It is the government and S Alam Group which have to shoulder responsibility for the casualties.
Now the question is: If it is indeed all for “development,” why do you impose your decision without conducting any EIA? What is the problem in taking the locals’ opinions into consideration? Why is the government afraid of the people’s resistance? Why is the media pressured to not publish news items on this matter? Why do not they speak openly?
No! No one will be able to protest, no rally-processions would be allowed. Criminals and police would be let loose on the protesters!
It has become a common scenario wherever there are development projects being carried out, because the government certainly knows that these projects are meant for plundering money and grabbing land under the guise of development. We saw the same thing in Phulbari, in Rampal, Rooppur, and Matarbari.
Meanwhile, the influential pro-power plant quarters have forced or convinced some media outlets to not tell the people the true stories of the Banshkhali resistance, and the arguments and the related information regarding the project. This is why the recent events of demonstrations in Banshkhali were not covered by the media.
Tension and resistance will be certainties if a so-called development projects like this are implemented forcefully and through fraudulent activities and corruption.
People will not accept any project that goes against the locals’ interests or may harm the national interests or is taken up without maintaining transparency. How long can intimidation suppress public opinion?
This article was translated by Probir Bidhan.
Thursday, April 25, 2024
