The National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports today said that, it would send an ‘open letter’ to the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to scrap the 1,320 MW Rampal power plant near Sunderbans. The letter will be handed over on 18th October to the Indian High Commissioner, Harsh Vardhan Shringla.
Member Secretary of National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports Anu Muhammad made this announcement at a press conference held at Mukti Bhaban on Thursday. The conference was chaired by the conveyor of the national committee Muhammad Shahidulla.
Among others, Bangladesh Communist Party leader Ruhin Hossain Prince, Bangladesh Socialist party’s central leader Rajekuzaman Ratan, Moshrefa Mishu, Chief Coordinator of the Solidarity Movement, Zonayed Saki and other concerned activists were also present at the press conference.
Anu Muhammad said that, despite widespread criticism and protest from national, international experts and mass people, the government is going ahead with the construction of the Rampal power plant near the World Heritage Site.
As India is a major stakeholder in this project so they are feeling the necessity of writing to the Indian Prime Minister to get the project scrapped, the committee leader said.
All the Indian organisations will be benefited in exchange of destruction of the Sundarbans if the Rampal project is implemented, he said. “If Bangladesh’s part of the Sundarbans is destroyed, the Indian part will also be affected,” he added. He once again called on the government to stop the project complying with the UNESCO recommendations.
Anu Muhammad also slammed the recent deal signing with Russia to build the Ruppur nuclear power plant. According to the deal, the nuclear waste management procedure was not clear and now Russia is declining to take any responsibility of those radioactive wastages.
The committee made another announcement on arranging a road-march type program toward Dhaka on 24-26 September. The committee is also willing to arrange several road-marches throughout the country in this month.