National Committee to protect oil, gas, mineral resources, power and ports called upon the government to refrain from implementing Rampal coal-fired thermal power plant near Sundarban, otherwise, it would go for tougher agitation programmes including hartal after Eid-ul-Azha. The National Committee also announced to hold a countrywide demonstration on Wednesday. It also announced a protest rally in front of the Jatiya Press Club at 4:00 pm to press its seven-point demand, including cancellation of Rampal project.
The announcement came from a press conference at the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) central office in the city on Tuesday.
Addressing the news conference, Anu Muhammad, member secretary of the national committee, said if the government does not back away from its stance over Rampal power plant, the National Committee would go for intensified movement. In response to a question, the eminent Economist Anu Mohammad said, ‘The programmes may include hartal, seige, mass-sit in.’
Criticizing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for inaugurating the Rampal Power Plant, Anu Mohammad said inaugurating the power plant using a remote control was a ‘moral defeat’ of the present government.
“We should have enforced hartal protesting such a move of the government but we did not do it considering
peoples’ sufferings ahead of Eid-ul-Azha and Durga Puja,” he said.
He also informed how the Sundarban acts as a shield against natural calamities which is why the people of Bangladesh would not allow Hasina-government to destroy it.
When sought his reaction on the BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia’s stance about the Rampal project, the economist said, “Look, when a party remains in the opposition, it extends support to our movement and when it goes to power, the party forgets its all promises. So we are not surprised at the opposition’s support.”
Earlier, the opposition Chief Khaleda Zia at a public meeting in Sylhet, had said the Rampal coal-fired thermal power plant would not be allowed near Sundarban. Sheikh Muhammad Shaheedullah, the convener of the committee, said the Rampal project would be harmful for Sundarban.
He called on the government to take opinions of environmentalists before implementing the project.
-With The Independent input
