Berlin, (Germany) – The construction of a 1320 MW capacity coal-fired power plant is going on near the world largest mangrove forest Sundarbans in Bangladesh. According to the researchers, this coal fired power plant will endanger the biodiversity of this unique forest. However, Sundarbans protects the entire coastal area of Bangladesh from natural disasters. Rampal coal-fired power plant will also bring a severe crisis to the people who live on Sundarbans. Therefore, the people of Bangladesh and Bangladeshi expatriates, native and foreign students, researchers as well as different professionals around Europe have been expressing their worries for long.The demand for protecting the Sundarbans had been raised and different kinds of demonstration been held. Subsequently, a European conference titled Sundarbans Solidarity Action Networking and Green Energy Solutions for Bangladesh is going to take place in Berlin from 19-20 August in order to protect the world´s largest mangrove forest and to hold a discussion about cheap and clean alternatives for Bangladesh to meet future electricity demand. Different types of organizations, parties, groups have expressed their solidarities and are going to participate in this conference. Hundreds of international professionals and organizations, for example, Greenpeace, Friends of Earth, 350.org, BankTrack, Woman Engage for a Common Future etc. have already signed “Berlin Declaration” which is going to be declared at the last session of this conference.
Rampal power plant and its ecological impact, climate change, a transition to green energy and prospects of alternative energy in Bangladesh will be discussed in this conference. Among other speakers, Professor Anu Muhammad from Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh, Kerstin Doerenbruch from Greenpeace Berlin’s spokesperson, Professor Wilfried Endlicher from Humboldt University, Germany will talk on mentioned topics. Many other environmental activists, researchers, writers, journalists will also participate in the conference. We hope that Bangladesh government will take proper step to stop the construction of Rampal coal fired power plant near Sundarbans and will also explore the ‘Green energy’ solutions for Bangladesh.
– Press release from Sharaf Ahmed, Rasha Mohiuddin, Debasish Sarker.
