The long-march campaigners protesting against the Rampal Power Project reached Fultola upazila of Khulna district on Friday afternoon.
Our correspondent said they had reached there around 12:30pm. They held a roadside rally in the upazila and started for Doulatpur on their way to Khulna. They are likely to hold another rally in Khulna city later in the day.
On Thursday, the campaigners reached Jessore via Magura and Jhenaidah. After staying there for the night, the protesters started moving towards Khulna on Friday morning.
As per the schedule, the protesters will march towards Rampal on Saturday.
Earlier, they were received in the districts they passed by. The campaigners held rallies and roadside meetings, and distributed leaflets.
The National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports arranged the long-march. Convener of the Platform Engineer Sheikh Muhammad Shahidullah and Member Secretary Prof Anu Muhammad spoke at the rallies, among others.
Meanwhile, the government on Thursday, claimed in a press note that a section of people and organisations were spreading propaganda against the Rampal Power Project. The information ministry said the plant would be built “at a safe distance” of 14km from the Sundarbans, and 72km from the Unesco-declared National Heritage site.
It asserted that a super-critical method based on ultra-modern technology coupled with high quality imported coal would be used at the plant. The emissions of carbon, sulphur, fly ash and several other sorts of air pollution would be kept at a minimum level to avoid any adverse impacts on the environment, it said.
Amid resistance, the government on Wednesday announced that the foundation stone of the plant’s construction work would be laid on October 22; a statement protested by the national committee. The government also has plans to build another 1,320MW plant at the same site in Rampal.
The platform is supported by left-leaning parties, rights activists, professionals, students and environmental organisations under the banner of the National Committee for Saving the Sundarbans, which was formed in July with lawyer Sultana Kamal as its convener.
The long-march began on Tuesday and stopped in Manikganj for the first night. The next day the campaigners reached Faridpur and held a rally and cultural programme on the Ambika Memorial Hall grounds.
Around 1,500 people are participating the 400km-long programme. To carry them, a dozen buses, microbuses and pickup vans were arranged.
Meanwhile, the National Committee for Saving the Sundarbans is set to hold a press conference on Friday in protest against the plan to inaugurate the construction work for the power plant.
