Environment activists yesterday demanded that the government cancel the two coal-based power plant projects near the Sundarbans mangrove forest at Rampal of Bagerhat within the next two months.
Demonstrating under the banner of National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports, the activists also asked the government officials to join an open discussion regarding the projects which they consider harmful for the Unesco World Heritage Site and the people who depend on the forest.
If the government does not cancel the projects within May 15, the activists threatened to conduct another long march towards Dhaka and declare sit-in programmes, hartal, siege and blockades in the capital.
Prof Anu Muhammad, member secretary of the National Committee, announced a seven-point Sundarbans Declaration during the closing ceremony of their mass procession held around 2pm at Katakhali intersection in Bagerhat.
The four-day-long mass procession towards the Sundarbans from Dhaka began on Thursday. Several thousand activists of different left-leaning parties and individuals joined the event with a convoy of 10 buses and seven microbuses.
During the march, the activists held rallies in Manikganj, Faridpur, Magura, Jhenaidah, Jessore and Khulan, and distributed leaflets and booklets among the people. In Jessore, they were obstructed by the police on Friday. Meetings and processions were also held in London and Amsterdam in solidarity with the mass procession.
A Bangladesh-India joint venture is developing the 1320MW Maitree Super Thermal Power Project at Rampal. Besides, local firm Orion Group is building a 566MW power plant in the same area.
The National Committee earlier observed a long march from Dhaka to Rampal in September 2013.
The campaigners oppose the coal plants saying that the projects would pose major threat on the biodiversity of the forest, water species and livelihood of the local people. They also protest the government plan to establish an economic zone, cement factories, shipyards and silo near the forest.
But the government claims that the projects would not harm the Sundarbans as they would use advanced technology to cut emission of hazardous gases including carbon dioxide, fine particles and fly ash, and properly dispose the solid and liquid wastes.
The declaration reads that the Sundarbans is not about some mere trees and animals rather it is an amalgamation of amazing biodiversity and ecosystem. It generates livelihood for hundreds of thousands of people and protects the people of the mainland from natural disasters like cyclones.
When the coastal region is already under threat because of global warming, then the implementation of coal-based projects only adds risks to the country’s people.
It says that the Sundarbans is facing danger on a regular basis because of some profit-driven individuals and corporations. Commercial and industrial activities have already sprung in and around the forest.
