Science activists in the Barisal city on Friday held demonstrations in protest at a government initiative to set up a coal-fired power station with the help of India at a Rampal, just 9km away from Sundarban. They said that the power station would destroy the world’s one of the largest mangrove forests. Bigyan Andolan Mancha, an organisation of science activists, mobilised the protests joined by several hundred students and young people.
BAM central committee coordinator Imran Habib Ruman, Barisal unit coordinator Badruddoza Saikat, Sher-e-Bangla Medical College unit activist Manisha Chakrabarti, Government Girls’ High School activist Saikha Alam, Zilla School activist Rezwan Hossain, Model School activist Rafikul Islam and Amrita Lal Dey College activist Nibir, addressed the gathering.
They said that certain quarters were trying to promote the construction of the 1,320MW coal-fired power station at Rampal in Bagerhat near Sundarban.
The speakers also said that the government had already completed preparations for acquiring 2,000 acre land for construction.
If the plant was set up and came into operation, it would severely damage the biodiversity within two years and the farmers of the project area would lose their land.
eNewsDesk – Syed Rajowan
