Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia on Wednesday termed Rampal power plant anti-people, urging the authorities to stop the work of the power plant without further delay.
Addressing a press conference at her Gulshan office, the 20-party opposition alliance chief called on the people to raise their voice against the risky power plant being constructed in the vicinity of the world’s largest mangrove forest, the Sundarbans.
She, however, did not announce any street agitation programme in this regard.
Also a former prime minister, Khaleda said Bangladesh will no longer remain liveable once the Sundarbans is destroyed by the coal-fired power plant.
“There are many places for construction of the epower plant, but we have no alternative to the Sundarbans,” she observed.
“Flows of Padma, Jamuna and Brahmaputra have already fallen drastically, triggering a massive desertification in northern and central part of Bangladesh. And if the Sundarbans is destroyed with the plant in the southern region, Bangladesh will no more liveable,” noted the former prime minister.
She said the construction of the plant will wreak havoc on the Sundarbans as well as on the ecosystem of the south-western coastal region.
“The government is sticking to its guns in favour of the plant despite all the evidences of its adverse impacts that have already been placed.”
Khaleda alleged the government is rather expediting the process of construction of the plant going against the interests of the country and its people.
“It proves that this government does not give a damn about people’s desire and the country’s interests as it is an autocratic regime,” she said.