Energy Bangla

The environmentalists and experts urged the JS (Jatiya Sangsad) committee to halt the power plant implementation activities and formulate policies to protect the Sundarbans, the largest Mangrove forest. The environmentalists and Sundarbans activists also demanded another EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) conducted by intl. reputed expert agency while they were specially invited to a meeting organized by the ‘parliamentary standing committee on the power ministry’. In its 23rd meeting held on... »

The leaders of the trade unions of Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB or PDB) have finally agreed with the government’s decision of splitting up the PDB’s distribution wing. The union leaders made an agreement with the state minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid thus leaving the month-long protest against PDB’s split up. A new company named North-West Zone Power Distribution Company (NWZPDC) was formed to take over... »

“We’re not against the country’s development but we’ll certainly stand against any development that causes long term sufferings and burdens to the countrymen”- says the National Committee to Protect Sundarbans The national committee replied in this way while the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina claimed “Anti-development parties are against the Rampal Plant” in a press conference organized a few days earlier. The committee spokesmen expressed their feedback at a press conference... »

Russian gas giant Gazprom on Monday said net profits in the second quarter plunged 17 percent due to higher operating costs which offset a hike in revenues. The state-run behemoth posted a net profit of 245 billion rubles (3.4 billion euros, 3.8 billion) between April and June, which exceeded forecasts by analysts interviewed by Russia’s Interfax news agency. Gazprom saw its running costs jump by 16 percent and was hit... »

Leaders of the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports yesterday declared that they would not join the BNP’s movement on the Rampal project issue. In a press conference organized at the Mukti Bhaban, Prof. Anu Muhammad, the member secretary of the committee, said, “We’ll go solo with the help of mass people and we’re ever ready to have a conversation with the Prime Minister Sheikh... »

Owners and workers of refuelling stations and fuel tank lorries are set to enforce a nine-hour strike from 6:00am today to press home their 12-point demands including raising sales commission and checking incessant hike in road rentals. The strike would be observed from 6:00am to 3:00pm when the refuelling stations will remain closed and tank lorries will not transport petroleum products, says a press release of Bangladesh Petrol Pump O... »

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today reiterated her government’s firm stand for coal-based power plant at Rampal, 65 kilometers away from mangrove forest Sundarbans, saying the power plant would not cause any harm to the world heritage famous for home of Royal Bengal Tigers and rich biodiversity. At a press conference at her Gonobhaban residence here this afternoon the Prime Minister ruled out the claim of a certain quarter that the... »

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina to hold a Press Conference on addressing the Rampal Power Plant issue.  The press conference will be held at 4pm on Saturday at her official residence Ganabhaban. Prime minister is going to express her opinions regarding the Rampal plant and hopefully will answer the critics of the project. Earlier, on Wednesday BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia criticized the Rampal project from every possible aspects and demanded scraping of... »

The National Committee for Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports Protection has declared to make the anti-Rampal power plant protest a successful movement with ‘lessons learnt’ from the Phulbarhi movement. The committee organised a rally at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka on Friday to mark the 10th anniversary of the movement against a coal mine in Dinajpur’s Phulbarhi. Committee Convener Sheikh Muhammad Shahidullah said at the rally, It... »

Today is the 10th anniversary of Phulbari Tragedy Day. On this day in 2006, the then Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) and Police opened fire on a demonstration organized by the villagers, indigenous people, protesting against open-pit coal-mining by Asia Energy. At least 3 were killed namely Aminul, Salekin, Torikul, 20 more were shot and more than 200 were injured on this tragic day. Four days after the incident, the then BNP-led... »