State Minister for Power Nasrul Hamid has invited some of the top leaders of the Rampal power plant protesters on a visit to the project site.
Recently, copies of a letter signed by the junior minister have been sent to the leading protesters including the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports, environmental activists, academicians and journalists.
At a press conference last month in Dhaka, Nasrul said he would sit with the protesters and also take them to the construction site to assess whether the plant would affect the Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest in the world.
“I think a visit to the place will remove all misconceptions,” he said in that conference, claiming that the protesters’ demands were incongruent with ground reality.
The 1,320MW coal-based Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant at Rampal in Bagerhat district is being implemented by the Bangladesh and Indian governments beside the Poshur River.
“We consider your thoughtful opinion with importance about the proposed Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant. We want to visit the project area along with you on November 19,” Nasrul told the protesters’ leaders in the letter.
“We will gather knowledge about Rampal, the Sundarbans, Poshur River and surrounding natural environment and biodiversity, exchange of our steps taken about the project. Your advice will enrich the country’s electricity generation system,” the letter reads.
The invitees are: convener Sheikh Muhammad Shahidullah, member-secretary Anu Muhammad and member Kallol Mustafa from the national committee; Dr Abdul Matin, general secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon; Syeda Rizwana Hasan, chief executive of Bangladesh Environment Lawyers’ Association; Sultana Kamal, executive director of Ain O Salish Kendra; Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh; Buet Professors Ijaz Hossain and M Tamim; Dhaka University Professor Badrul Imam; Daffodil International University Professor M Shamsul Alam; and Khulna University Professor Abdullah Harun Chowdhury.
Anu Muhammad told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday: “A one-day visit will not help to understand the problems. We have visited the project area several times before...We will decide [on the invitation] after a meeting with the national committee members today [Tuesday].”
Prof Ijaz said he would visit the project area with the minister and see the technology, condition of air and the surrounding environment because he had never been there before.
