Staff Reporter :
The leaders of the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Port on Monday said that the Rampal coal power plant project might damage the India-Bangladesh relationships permanently leading to a long-term rivalry between the two neighbours.
At a press conference, they explained the National Committee’s position on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s statement accusing the committee leaders of damaging Bangladesh-India relations by waging an anti-Rampal power plant movement.
The press briefing was arranged in the capital after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reaffirmed her determination to go ahead with the project and came down heavily on the protesters. ‘The Sundarbans will remain safe’, PM said.
Anu Mohammad said, it is not the agitating people, but surely the government will harm the relationship by implementing the Rampal project. He, however, rejected any idea of launching ‘united movement’ with the BNP on the issue of Rampal power plant.
“It seems good that the BNP finally realised the reality of the National Committee’s demand. BNP had also undertaken many anti-people projects when it was in power,” he said.
He said if the BNP wants to join the National Committee’s anti-Rampal movement, it will have to overhaul its entire political policy.
The project will bring immense sufferings to the UNESCO-declared world heritage site and its ecology and this will simply agitate the local people, said Anu Mohammad.
Responding to a question, Anu Mohammad said, the National Committee is ready to sit with the Prime Minister on the issue if the government assures reconsidering its decision on Rampal. “We want to sit with the Prime Minister to reach a point to save the Sundarbans,” he said.
“The movement will continue until the interest of the people is protected,” said Sheikh Muhammad Shahidullah, Convener of the committee, in the press conference.
Prof Anu Muhammad, member-secretary of the committee, said Rampal is part and parcel of the Sundarbans; their land, water and air make no difference.
National Committee leaders Saiful Haque, Ruhin Hossain Price and Bazlur Rashid Fereoz were, among others, present at the press conference. A Bangladesh-India joint venture company signed an agreement with India’s state-run Bharat Heavy Electrical Ltd on July 12, paving the way for construction of the much-debated power plant in three to four months for commercial production by July 2019.
