Landowners whose properties were acquired for the Rampal Thermal Power Plant in Bagerhat have been waiting for nearly 16 years to receive their full compensation, with some claiming that around one-third of the money owed to them remains unpaid.
At least 15 landowners have complained that they are yet to receive the outstanding amount. The prolonged delay has pushed many families into severe financial hardship. Several landowners reportedly died without receiving their dues, leaving their children to pursue the payments through government offices.
The land acquisition has also had wider socioeconomic consequences, while residents have raised concerns over environmental degradation, declining natural resources, loss of biodiversity, health risks and damage to local livelihoods.
The coal-fired power plant has been controversial since the early stages of the project, particularly because of its proximity to the Sundarbans. Despite protests from environmental groups and other organisations, land acquisition and site development began in 2010 under a joint investment initiative involving Bangladesh and India.
To address complications surrounding land acquisition, the government enacted a law in 2017 providing for compensation at three times the assessed value of acquired land. However, bureaucratic and administrative complications, unpaid land revenue and litigation have hampered implementation.
Experts also point to difficulties in reconciling updated domestic laws with the requirements of foreign donors and development partners involved in large infrastructure projects. They believe a national resettlement policy could help address such complications more effectively.
Ila Devi of Kapasdanga said six bighas of her ancestral land had been acquired for the project. The land was assessed at Tk1.5 lakh per bigha, but she received only Tk1 lakh per bigha, leaving Tk50,000 unpaid for each bigha.
“I still have not received the remaining money. I have to keep visiting the Deputy Commissioner’s office for it,” she said.
Manindra Nath said 14 bighas of land belonging to his extended family had been acquired. Twelve members of the family were joint owners. Although the assessed price was Tk1.5 lakh per bigha, only Tk1 lakh per bigha was paid.
He said he had been abroad when the acquisition took place and had authorised someone to handle the matter on his behalf. After returning to Bangladesh, he began personally following up with the district administration but said there had been no progress.
Despite objections from environmentalists and various organisations, around 1,834 acres of fallow land were acquired in the Sapmari, Kai-Gordashkathi mouza areas of Rajnagar and Gourambha unions in Rampal upazila.
Of the acquired land, 915 acres were used for the 1,320-megawatt Rampal power plant, built at a cost of around Tk16,000 crore. The first unit began operation in December 2022, while the second unit started generating electricity in October 2023.
The plant has reportedly been shut down around 18 times so far due to technical problems and coal shortages.
Residents living along several rivers near the power plant said fishing, once the main source of livelihood for many families, has declined significantly.
Local residents alleged that fish populations began to fall after wastewater from the power plant started entering nearby rivers. They said they now struggle to earn enough from fishing to cover even their daily food expenses.
Rajib Das of Betaga village in Fakirhat said his father, Nehar Ranjan Das, owned 42 bighas of agricultural land in the area acquired for the power plant.
“Our annual income came from this land. After all of it was acquired, we fell into financial hardship. We received much less compensation than we had expected,” he said.
Bikash Chandra Das said his six bighas of agricultural land had also been acquired.
“The crisis is still continuing. Because the compensation was much lower than expected, I could not buy alternative land,” he said.
Samir Kumar Das said his family had 60 bighas of land in the project area, all of which was acquired.
“We could not obtain alternative land according to our needs or expectations because the price offered for the acquired land was too low,” he said.
A privately conducted survey after the land acquisition found that 22 of 166 families in the Rampal area, or 13.25%, had been displaced.
Among the relocated families, 9% were illiterate. When those able only to sign their names were included, the proportion rose to 32.5%.
The survey also found that 9.09% of families experienced a decline in income after losing their land, with their income falling by as much as 55.55 per cent.
The proportion of families living on smaller homestead plots also increased after the acquisition. The share of families living on homesteads smaller than 5% of the surveyed land area rose from 14.6% to 21.7%, while the proportion of families with homesteads larger than 33% fell from 33.6% to 23%.
Mahfuzur Rahman Mukul, divisional coordinator of the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) in Khulna, said it was unfortunate that landowners had still not received their full compensation 16 years after the acquisition.
“The district administration should take effective measures to pay the outstanding money as soon as possible,” he said.
Bagerhat Deputy Commissioner Golam Mohammad Baten said several factors, including lawsuits and disputes over land ownership, had prevented some landowners from receiving their remaining compensation.
“It is difficult to specify the exact number at this moment. However, some landowners are contacting us and submitting the necessary documents. The documents will be verified and necessary steps will be taken,” he said.
