Amid widespread criticism over the government’s announcement to go ahead with a thermal power plant project at Rampal, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has said the opposition will not allow the construction of the coal-fired plant at Rampal near the Sundarbans.
Published : 29 Sep 2013, 05:42 PM
She made the announcement while addressing an opposition rally in Khulna on Sunday.
“We will not allow any [thermal] power plant at Rampal,” Khaleda declared.
She blamed the government for setting up low-capacity quick rental power plants that cost large sums of money.
“Now, they want to set up a [coal-fired] power plant at Rampal,” Khaleda told the rally.
Environmentalists and locals fear the plant’s construction would jeopardise the world’s largest mangrove forest.
The government, on the other hand, said there was no other option but to go ahead with the coal-fired plant to meet the rising power demand.
Bangladesh and India are jointly constructing the 1,320MW plant in which both the countries would have equal share.
Recently a long march was led to Khulna protesting against the government move. They have served the government with an ultimatum to shun the project by Oct 11 and threatened to wage a tougher agitation.