Nat'l Committee threatens to announce nonstop sit-in at Rampal

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Leaders of the National Committee to Protect Oil-Gas and Power-Port on Saturday threatened to announce tough programmes like nonstop sit-in at the project site in protest against the Rampal coal-fired power plant, reports UNB. "We won't retreat from the anti-Rampal campaign…the movement will be intensified and tougher action programmes like nonstop sit-in at the project site will soon be announced, if needed," said Prof Anu Mohammad, member secretary of the National Committee, while addressing a protest rally in front of the Jatiya Press Club. Prof Anu urged people to participate in any such programme to save the Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest. Anu said mass people will never allow the government to implement the proposed 1320 MW power plant as it would destroy the entire Sundarbans and its environment. He was very critical of both Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh for inaugurating the power plant works through a videoconference, and said both violated their own countries' environmental laws with this. Indian law prohibits any power plant within 25 km of any forest, he added. Prof Anu also accused Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of cheating people through this inauguration as it was inaugurated before the schedule fearing the people of Rampal." He said Rampal power plant will be a 10 times bigger than that of Barapukuria coal-fired power plant which has enormous impact on the ecology. Prof Anu further said there are alternatives to Rampal power plant. The government can arrange 1320 MW power through conducting overhauling and maintenance works on the existing power plants. The other speakers alleged that the power plant is being set up to appease India. The protest rally, presided over by National Committee convenor Engineer Muhammad Shahidullah, was addressed, among others, by CPB president Mujahidul Islam Selim and Bangladesher Samajtantric Dal general secretary Khaliquzzaman.