Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday issued a strong warning against those who will try to create anarchy in the country making Rampal power plant an issue. “If anyone wants to create anarchy over a non-issue, then we won’t step behind….we’ll take stern action to contain it,” she said.
The Prime Minister issued the warning while addressing a press conference on the proposed coal-fired Rampal power plant at her official residence Ganobhaban.
“We’re taking the country forward. I know many people cannot tolerate it. Why Bangladesh will move forward, why Bangladesh will be self-dependent, why people will live a better life, they cannot accept this. That’s why they’re looking for an issue,” she said.
Citing logic and facts in favour of the proposed project, Sheikh Hasina said the project won’t cause any harm to the Sundarbans. She also urged people not to be misguided through the propaganda of those who are already politically bankrupt. Expressing her determination for doing good for the people of the country, she said, “It is my request to people to keep confidence in me… I’m the daughter of Bangbanadhu, I didn’t do such thing in the past, I won’t do in the future that will bring a little harm to the country and its people.”
“An anti-development vested quarter has long been trying to create a negative attitude among people about the Rampal power plant project by making baseless, fabricated and imaginary statements and giving false information,” she said.
The Prime Minister came up with the remarks when BNP chief Khaleda Zia on Wednesday urged the government to refrain from implementing Rampal power plant for the sake of the country’s ecological balance and natural beauty. Hasina further said, “The cat finally came out of the bag on August 24.
I used to think what was the source of power or instigation of those on a movement against Rampal power plant. It is now clear as Khaleda Zia openly joined the false campaign through a press conference, though she has long been instigating them from behind the scene.”
Mentioning that BNP has been maintaining silence on the issue for a long time, Hasina said, “I think there’s a deep-rooted hidden conspiracy behind her joining the propaganda openly.”
Rejecting misconception that the Rampal plant will harm the country and the Sundarbans, she said the anti-state and anti-development quarter is now engaged in creating a negative perception in public mind about it.
The BNP leader has now chalked out an evil design having failed to get benefit by killing people through petrol bomb attacks and patronising terrorists as well as instigating various incidents like Gulshan and Sholakia terror attacks, she said.
“The BNP leader is now thinking that she has got a chance, she’ll put the government in an awkward position through instigating the anti-Rampal movement,” she added.
Hasina said her government decided to establish power plants in different parts of the country, including a number of coal-fired power plants, to meet the growing demand of electricity, and Rampal plant is one of them.
Responding to a question about the recent appeal by some local and international organisations to Indian Exim Bank to withdraw its loan from the project, the Prime Minister said if they do not provide the loan her government will surely make another arrangement.
“If that fails then we’ll implement it with our own fund as we’re doing in the case of Padma Bridge,” she said.
