Dhaka – The National Committee to Protect Oil-Gas, Natural Resources and Power-Port will observe a half-day hartal in the capital on January 26 if the government does not cancel the Rampal coal-fired power plant project near the Sundarbans by then.
Committee member secretary Prof Anu Muhammad made the announcement from a protest rally held in front of the Jatiya Press Club on Monday. The protest rally was organised as part of the National Committee’s programmes to save the Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest.The national committee to protect oil, gas, mineral resources, power and ports yesterday staged a countrywide demonstration to realise their three-point demand to save the Sundarbans.
The committee member secretary, Anu Muhammad presided over the protest program organized on the occasion in front of National Press Club on Monday. He was reiterating their demands.
The committee’s demands include a permanent ban on vessel movement on all river routes through the Sundarbans, adequate compensation for the people affected by the oil spill and supplying necessary health protective equipment to the locals engaged in soaking up oil from the water and scraping the move to set up thermal power plants in the Sundarbans.
Addressing the crowd gathered, he said violating national and international laws, the Shannashi-Bogi-Dudhmukhi-Horintana-Andharmanik-Mrigamari-Chandpai-Jaymonirgole river route was introduced in 2011 by Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority.
The India-Bangladesh River Protocol played the vital role in opening of the route, he said.
Communist leader Ruhin Hossain Pricne blamed lack of cooperation among the authorities concerned, including the forest and the shipping ministry, in dealing with the manmade disaster in Sundarban.
The national committee convener, Sheikh Md Shahidullah, Zonayed Saki of Ganasangahati Andolan were also present on the occasion.
Anu Muhammad alleged that the government is going ahead with the power project ignoring mass people’s opinions. He also said that the mangrove forest has been at stake for growing industries around it as the government is not looking into the country’s interest.
The meeting was also addressed by National Committee leaders Ruhin Hossain Prince, Bazlur Rashid Firoze, Saiful Haque, Moshrafa Mishu and Zonayed Saki.Speakers said people will resist through a united movement the government’s move to set up the Rampal power plant.
People will come out victorious in the anti-Rampal movement to save the Sundarbans, they said.They also alleged the government has been engaged in serving the interests of the local and international vested business-interest groups.
The rally announced that the National Committee will present an alternative plan on January 14 before the nation to resolve the country’s power crisis.The National Committee also urged those who love the Sundarbans and live around the globe to register protests on January 7 in various countries to force the government to cancel the power plant project. – Staff Reporter
