Although their life is returning to normalcy after the postponement of agitations, the locals of Banshkhali's Gondamara were frustrated yesterday after the prime minister strongly criticised them protesting against S Alam Group's proposed 1,224MW coal-based power plant.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that some people of the country have bizarre imagination and they oppose coal-fired power plants in the name of protecting the environment, whereas the government eyes increasing generation of electricity.
The locals, mostly salt and shrimp farmers, have been protesting against the plant since February as they are afraid of losing their livelihood due to the plant’s adverse impacts on the air, water and land of the coastal area.
On April 4, at least four protesters were killed and 30 others injured after the police and supporters of the plant project opened fire on them during a rally at Gondamara. They postponed the scheduled protest programmes on Saturday for 15 days after the prime minister through a local Awami League leader had assured them of considering the demand of scrapping the project immediately.
Liakat Ali, convener of the Homestead and Graveyard Protection Committee, said that the agitating locals felt frustrated after the premier’s speech.
“The villagers are still smouldering as they lost their fellows during the protest. They are more shocked after the prime minister’s comments. They may resume protests, if necessary, to realise their legitimate demands,” Liakat said.
Swapan Kumar Majumder, OC of Banshkhali police, said that they were on alert and additional police were deployed in the area to avert any untoward incident.
Meanwhile, local ruling party lawmaker Mustafizur Rahman held a rally on the UNO office premises and assured the agitating locals that the victims would be compensated. He earlier said that the families of the dead would be given Tk10 lakh each as compensation from the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.
A joint venture company of S Alam Group and a Chinese firm took the project in 2013. They have already acquired around 600 acre land and started land development in the project area without securing location clearance or getting their Environmental Impact Assessment approved by the authorities concerned.
Following the protests, a top officer of S Alam Group on Saturday said that they would try to convince the locals about the plant. If failed, they would shift the plant to Chokoria.
On Thursday, State Minister for Power and Energy Nasrul Hamid hinted that the government would not have any objection rather would cooperate if S Alam Group wanted to shift the power plant to any other location.
Thursday, April 25, 2024
