Around 90.48% people voted against proposed Rampal power plant near the Sundarbans while only 8.51% supported it, stated a referendum arranged by the Socialist Students’ Front and environmentalists
10,111 students, teachers and staff of Dhaka University started voting from October 30. The results were published thursday.
Professor Anu Muhammad, an eminent economist and member secretary of the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas and Mineral Resources, Power and Port announced the results at the Aparajeyo Bangla in the presence of Professor Badrul Imam of Dhaka University’s geology department, Professor Mosahida Sultana and Professor Samina Luthfa.
In talks with the Dhaka Tribune, Bhajan Biswas, office secretary of the Socialist Students’ Front said: “we have collected the symbolic votes from teachers, students and staff of the departments.”
“There are for alternatives for the Rampal Power plant but not for the Sundarbans,” Anu Mohammad said.
He urged the prime minister and lawmakers to change the proposed location for the plant and take initiatives to protect the Sundarbans.
Prof Badrul said the plant will create a huge ecological and natural imbalance.