“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 organized at the Reporters Unity at Segunbaghicha on Tuesday.
Among others Bangladesh Communist Party leader Ruhin Hossain Prince,Bangladesh Socialist party’s central leader Rajekuzaman Ratan, Prof M M Akash from Economics dept. Dhaka University, other concerned environment activists namely Abdul Matin, Sharif Jamil, Syeda Rizwana Hasan were also present at the press conference.
Sultana Kamal, the convener of the national committee read out a written speech at the conference. She said that the allegation that the PM made is not factual. Earlier, Sheikh Hasina imputed that the anti-Rampal parties are funded and supported by the BNP allies.
Sultana Kamal claimed that the national committee had no connection with the BNP’s movement and have no intention to form a joint movement program against Rampal Project.
The written speech also claimed that the Farakka Barrage is a living instance proving that the unanimously unaccepted developmental project never brings any good for the mass people.
The project is not only an environmentally hazardous project but also an economically unviable project, claims the national committee after giving references from various national and international expert study reports.
The Prime Minister informed that the Rampal implementing company would spend Tk 30 crore annually as CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility). The committee criticized the PM as the CSR amount is nothing compared to the invaluable Sundarbans.
Khushi Kabir said that, the PM had been doing great in this tenure except for this power plant. However, he suspected that, a probable group is impeding the PM knowing the exact scientific study reports regarding the Rampal Plant thus making the PM biased.
Prof. M M Akash said that, various expert studies from home and abroad have already proven that the Rampal project is both economically and environmentally unviable.
Syeda Rizwana Hasan expressed her hope saying that the prime minister would reconsider implementing the Rampal Power Plant. She also remarked that the national committee would be happy if the PM manages to justify both parties’ logics.