Risk of losing Sundarbans

Prof Anu Muhammad says it's no problem if proper site

chosen for power plant, suggests exploring alternatives to coal

Sundarbans, a magnificent and unique ecosystem of the world, faces an existential question
today with a coal power plant to be set up at Rampal. It has been a content of discord between
environmentalists and those who are pushing the plant. Both sides are giving out their own
arguments in favour of and against the plant to be set up within 14km of the mangrove forest.
The Daily Star wants to bring to the public the arguments and the counterarguments that the
protagonists and antagonists of the plant have to make. Today we publish an interview of
Professor Anu Muhammad, Department of Economics, Jahangirnagar University, on the issues
of Rampal power plant. Pinaki Roy and Shahtub Siddique Anik took the interview.

The Daily Star (TDS): Government officials say the Rampal power project won't cause any
damage to the Sundarbans. But what is the reality? Why do you think this plant will have
an adverse impact on the Sundarbans? How did you get involved in the movement against
this project?

Prof Anu: It's not entirely true that government officials are saying there won't be any damages.
Recently, the finance minister admitted that the Sundarbans will be affected. And I am sure there
are others in the government who in private will agree on this, contradicting the official version.
The Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest in the world, largely depends on water. It is alive
because of its water bodies -- rivers, canals and tributaries. If water is contaminated at one point,
the entire forest would suffer. We have reasons to be concerned. We have enough scientific
evidence that the coal-fired plant in Rampal and many business projects inspired by this will kill
the forest.

We first heard about the project back in 2010 from the locals in the Sundarbans areas. They were
already protesting the government decision. When the land acquisition for the plant began that
year, a land protection committee was formed. But they failed to stop the land acquisition. They
contacted us.

We found anomalies as we went there. The land acquisition began without any site clearance or
environmental assessment. Before acquiring land for a project, there are certain procedures to be
followed -- serving notice, consultations, dialogues with people and so on. In this case, there was
nothing of this sort. Instead, people were being coerced, terrorised and threatened with eviction.
We even heard threat of crossfire was made.

The people there are mostly poor and a section of them are low-caste Hindus. Both groups are
helpless. Low-caste Hindus suffer even more. So it was easy for powerful people to displace
them.

After we learnt about the plant, we tried to find the details. Firstly, we tried to understand the
environmental impacts of coal plants around the world, including India, China, US and Australia.
They have decades of experience. That's why studies on these are available. Moreover, we went
through scientific studies on the Sundarbans itself, its special features, importance, sensitivity as
well as vulnerability. To what extent can a mangrove forest like the Sundarbans endure abuse?
How sensitive is it? Gradually we became convinced that the Rampal plant will surely wreak
havoc on the forest.

TDS: But in the case of the Rampal project, the prime minister claimed necessary measures
will be taken; therefore, the coal-fired plant won't affect the Sundarbans. Officials also
argue that it is a unique forest which cannot be harmed so easily. It is also being said that
oil and fertiliser tankers have sunk there but did not have any lasting effect.

Prof Anu: Studies on the Sundarbans and coal-fired plants do not support these claims. All this
rhetoric goes against simple commonsense.

If the government is capable of protecting the Sundarbans, then why is it failing to save the
Buriganga and many other rivers from grabbing and pollution? It is a much easier and achievable
job. If NTPC has the technology to do the impossible then why does it have such a bad record in
India?

In fact, the government spokespersons aren't saying things based on their own understanding.
They are just parroting the company's marketing propaganda. This is shameful. It has become
clear the government is not at all serious about the Sundarbans; they appear pretty insensitive
about saving the forest. For example, one adviser said that if necessary another Sundarbans will
be created. It was before our 2013 long march.

Another argument that there was no disaster even after the sinking of tankers is also
irresponsible. We haven't forgotten how the government responded to the sinking of a coal-laden
ship in the Sundarbans. The UNDP and other studies showed that these will have long-term
disastrous effect on the forest. And for the Rampal plant, hundreds more ships will transport coal
through the Sundarbans. Just one accident -- and it will be the death of the Sundarbans.

TDS: But it is also said coal cannot contaminate water and it actually works as filter

Prof Anu: Yes. I heard this unbelievable statement from the prime minister. It is a simple fact
that there is a difference between coal (natural mineral) and charcoal (obtained by burning
wood). We used to clean our teeth with charcoal when we were kids, but the one which is a
natural mineral extracted from mines, contains toxic substance.

TDS: The prime minister said that high-quality coal will be brought from South Africa,
Australia it would be transported carefully Coal will be well-covered coal will not
cause pollution...

Prof Anu: There is no evidence to back these claims. There is no instance in the world that coal
is being transported on a ship and water is not being polluted at all.

For the Rampal plant, 12,000 tonnes of coal will be shipped through the forest every day -- about
500 ships and 47 lakh tonnes in 365 days. It is not a valid argument that there is no risk of
accident or pollution.

Then there is another serious issue -- burning of coal, 47 lakh tonnes a year. And it will be 14km
off the forest -- in fact 4km. Because the buffer zone of the Sundarbans is considered as
Ecologically Critical Area (ECA). The plant is just 4km from the ECA.

So, 47 lakh tonnes of coal burned there will create more than nine lakh tonnes of ash, of which
80% will be dry fly ash and the rest 20% bottom ash. This ash will contain many heavy metals,
including arsenic, lead, mercury, nickel, vanadium, beryllium, barium, cadmium, chromium,
selenium, and radium, which are dangerous if released into the environment.

TDS: But it's super critical technology

Prof Anu: The EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) report says super critical technology
will be used. What we learnt from countries like India or Australia is that such technology can
reduce pollution only by five to ten percent. So 90 percent pollution will be there.

Now they are talking about ultra-super critical technology. There is a limit to attempts to fool
people. What technology will be used is already determined in the EIA. It is linked with
expenditures, investment, etc. The company which got the construction job and those who will
provide loans will follow the deals already signed. They will not let the cost go up.
The government has been playing hide and seek from the very beginning. People are being fed
wrong information. We still don't know exactly from where the coal will come. They say coal
will be imported from Australia or Indonesia. But we have doubts for obvious reasons.

Exim Bank is providing loans for the plant against sovereign guarantee from the Bangladesh
government. According to the bank's own policy framework, it lends only in projects which
ensure export of Indian products. We have seen this happen with its previous loans to
Bangladesh.

At the same time, media reports say Coal India has shown interest in supplying coal to the
Rampal plant. They have a surplus of coal as some coal plants have been shutdown in India.

Analysing all these factors, we doubt that high-quality coal from Australia or Indonesia or South
Africa will be used here.

TDS: How do you explain the contract? Don't you think it is a friendship contract between
two countries?

Prof Anu: Our Power Development Board and India's NTPC have formed a friendship company.
To us, this is no friendship company; it's something that will create permanent enmity between
the two countries.

On paper, Bangladesh and India have 50-50 ownership. But NTPC is in the management. An
Indian company is handling the construction work. The construction materials will be duty-free.
Imported materials will be tax-free. Profit will be tax-free. Exim India will have a business by
providing a loan, and very likely an Indian coal company will supply the coal.

This is not a win-win project; it's a win-lose project. Only Indian companies are the winners, for
Bangladesh there will be only disaster, only irreparable loss, loss of the Sundarbans and also a
huge financial burden on Bangladesh.

TDS: But Bangladesh will get electricity at a lower price, right?

Prof Anu: No, not at all. It will be costlier. Already we hear about Tk 8 to 9 per unit. According
to analysis of International Energy Institute, it's more than Tk 9 if we consider hidden subsidies.
In Bangladesh, electricity generated from gas costs about Tk 2. Power from rental/quick rental
plants costs from Tk 12/13 to 16/17.

In the case of Rampal, coal electricity, which is supposed to be the cheapest, is going to cost
about Tk 10. And the way project cost increases in Bangladesh and the way the whole process
lacks transparency, the price would go up.

Besides, we don't yet know the price of the coal.

And if we follow standard cost-benefit analysis and include environmental and social cost into
the calculation, electricity from coal becomes the costliest electricity.
TDS: But whatever the government is doing is not illegal after all.

Prof Anu: The problem with existing laws is that those are not updated enough. Still, the plant
won't be acceptable if we consider laws about water bodies, water, forest or river properly.

In fact the government has a lot to learn from India. They have long-time experience of coal-
fired power plants. Because they know the impact better, they formed national green tribunal to
scrutinise coal power projects. They also have formulated environmental guidelines in 2010 to
check major loss from setting up thermal power projects. Even projects by NTPC in a number of
cases were halted by the tribunal.

TDS: The prime minister has claimed that the Barapukuria coal power plant is not causing
any damage to the environment. Why do you think Rampal plant will affect the
Sundarbans?

Prof Anu: Evidence from the ground contradicts this claim. We got many field studies pointing
to many issues like water pollution and problems relating to underground and drinking water and
cultivation. Moreover, it is practically producing maximum of 125 megawatt; the Rampal plant is
10 times bigger. Most importantly, the Rampal plant is close to the Sundarbans.

TDS: If the plant is moved from Rampal will you still oppose it? Do you have any other
alternative suggestions?

Prof Anu: Proper site selection requires transparent steps, people's consent, independent EIA and
environmental and site clearance. But the government chooses coercion, muddling facts, and
manipulating the EIA. If they can follow the right conditions and select site elsewhere, we have
no problem. But people will never accept projects of corruption and destruction.

We also suggest exploring alternatives to coal. Since Bangladesh is densely populated, its land
and water resources are all-important. Therefore, the impact of the coal power project is
extraordinary here.

If the government can set up a power plant by importing coal then what's wrong with importing
gas? Its environmental and social costs are much lower. Secondly, we have huge potential of gas
resources offshore, but the government is showing reluctance to develop national capability to
explore and use gas for building big power plants. Thirdly, it is urgent to bring renewable energy
to mainstream from the periphery. New technology is developing fast, cost is coming down and
Bangladesh has high potential for that.

TDS: But countries like China, India and US are using coal plants. Don't we need
development?

Prof Anu: Yes, we need development. And yes, these countries use coal as major source of
power. But the present trend in those countries is that they are doing everything to phase out
coal. We should not copy a hundred-year-old development model. When better technology, solar
technology, etc were not available, they relied on coal. They were not fully aware of the impacts
of coal. Now people across the globe are more aware and they are looking for alternatives.

We should not make ourselves a dumping ground of rejected technology; rather we should take
advantage of newer ones.

Besides, we don't have the capacity the developed countries have built over the years to tackle
disaster. We can't afford to spend billions of dollars if our water is polluted.

Another argument is that the level of our carbon emission is low -- so why worry? This is a
stupid argument. You may compete over carbon emission. But how can you do it after attempting
to destroy the Sundarbans?

The Sundarbans has a special role in the fight against climate change effects. The government is
signing deals over climate change, bringing in funds but destroying the country's strongest shield
in this battle -- the Sundarbans. We can't afford to lose the Sundarbans.

(Prof Anu Muhammad teaches economics at Jahangirnagar University. A political activist and
writer, he is the member secretary of the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral
Resources, Power and Ports. He is currently the frontman of the movement against the Rampal
power plant being built close to the Sundarbans.)
UNESCO investigates environmental impact of Sundarbans coal plant

The recent capsizing of coal-laden ship in the worlds largest mangrove forests puts the spotlight
on UNESCO report on the Rampal power plant being built near the Sundarbans

The recent capsizing of a coal carrying ship in the Sundarbans has raised the stakes on the
assessment being carried out by UNESCO on the Rampal power plant. Located on the fringes of
the Sundarbans, the worlds largest mangrove forest, the power plant may add to the troubles of
this UNESCO World Heritage site. So far, despite the sustained criticism of environmentalists,
the Bangladesh government continues to back the construction of the 1,320 megawatt coal fired
power plant in Rampal.

The Bangladesh India Friendship Power Company Ltd (BIFPCL), a joint initiative of Indias
National Thermal Power Company and Bangladeshs Power Development Board signed an
agreement to build the power plant with BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited) on 29
February 2016. Though the project was originally expected to be awarded by early 2014 and
completed by 2017, the process was delayed as the company could not manage to secure donors
in the face of environmental concerns. The state-owned Government Pension Fund Global of
Norway was scheduled to invest BDT 4,300 million (USD 55 million) for the project, but they
withdrew the fund as Norways Council on Ethics recommended dropping the project due to the
threat to the Sundarbans.

Read: Capsized ships endanger Sundarbans ecology

Read: South Asias abused wetlands surviving just about

Read: Only 100 Bengal tigers left in Bangladesh Sundarbans

Frustrated, Bangladesh had also reportedly approached the Chinese government, but with Indian
funding coming through, the plant is now set to be completed by 2019. There were three bids for
the USD 1.5 billion job. According to the conditions of the tender, the construction company
BHEL would arrange 70% of the financing from the Indian Exim Bank on behalf of BIFPCL,
who will fund the additional 30% of the project cost.

Continuing environmental concerns

The government has defended the plans for the plant, saying its emissions would not cause any
harm to the Sundarbans. Bangladesh faces enormous pressure to generate electricity. According
to World Bank data only about 60% of Bangladeshs population has access to electricity.
Environmentalists are unconvinced. A 101-member National Committee to Protect Sundarbans
has demanded the suspension of all activities on the Rampal plant, as well as the Orion power
plant located close by, until a fresh environment impact assessment (EIA) has been conducted by
a UN-led team.
There has been a steady set of protests against the Rampal plant

The committee had sent a letter to the UNESCO headquarters earlier this month requesting them
to recognise the site on the list of its World Heritage in danger. The convener of the committee,
Dr Sultana Kamal, a former adviser to the caretaker government said, The Sundarbans is our
national resource and it is already facing many threats. She said that the area of the Sundarbans
has shrunk from 17,000 square kilometres in 1911 to only 10,000 square kilometres today.

Dr Abdul Matin, the general secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA), the umbrella
organisation for countrys environment movement, told thethirdpole.net, The power plant may
be relocated somewhere else. But we do not have an alternative for the Sundarbans.
However, Uzzal Chakraborty, managing director of BIFPCL said that the demand of the
environmentalists was not logical. They had followed local laws, and as regards safety
measures, they have followed the World Banks stringent guidelines.

Visit of UNESCO Team

Due to complete happenstance, the environmentalists will get their wish. A high-profile
UNESCO delegation visited the Sundarbans in March to assess the possible impacts of the
proposed coal-based Rampal power plant on the worlds largest mangrove forest. They had been
originally expected to come in February, but had been asked to come a month later by the
Bangladeshi government, according to chief conservator of forests, Yunus Ali.

The trip was originally scheduled to evaluate the impact of the oil spill that occurred on 9
December 2014 in the Shela River in the Sundarbans when an oil tanker carrying about 350,000
litres of furnace oil overturned in the river after colliding with a cargo vessel. But just before the
UNESCO team was due to visit, another disaster took place, as a coal laden ship capsized on 20
March 2016. UNESCO has now conducted a much more detailed assessment of the Rampal
plant and its impact on the Sundarbans.

The report, whose release date is yet unclear, will have a far-reaching impact on environmental
concerns, electricity generation and the future of the Sundarbans. Both the Bangladeshi
government and the environmentalists will be waiting for its results with great anticipation.
Rampal Power Plant; The Death Sentence for
Sundarbans -By Salman Riaz
September , 2016 admin Cover Story

Todays most important concern for our country is power generation. In recent years coal fired
power plant is being heavily discussed. Like other Asian countries Bangladesh also wants to find
a way to Energy solvency through Coal fired Power Plants, Nuclear Power Plants and Renewable
Energy Sources. In the shadow of advance way, the Ruling Awami Government of Bangladesh
has chosen mass destruction project for fulfilling the power generation, which could be
considered as a worse fate for Sundarban.
In that context, Bangladeshs $1.6 billion cost Rampal thermal power project in Bagerhat
district, under southern Khulna Division. Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League (AL) government
believes that the 1320 MW capacity power plant is essential to meet the countrys ever-growing
demand for electricity. The project is also important from the standpoint of the AL governments
mid-term and long-term development agendas. The government holds that the power plant will
significantly contribute towards the development of Rampal Upazila an area that has remained
deprived in terms of infrastructure over the years. So any kind of obstacles behind Rampal power
plant could be removed by AL Government.
But it has been in the midst of controversies for its possible negative impacts on the already
fragile ecosystem of the Sundarbans. This work is proposed as a joint partnership between
Indias states owned National Thermal Power Corporation and Bangladesh Power Development
Board. The proposed project, on an area of over 1834 acres of land, is situated 14 kilometers
north of the worlds largest mangrove forest Sundarbans which is a UNESCO declared world
heritage site. It will be the countrys largest power plant.

The entire electricity generation process will be based on coal imported from countries like
Indonesia and Australia. Bangladesh produces a mere 2.26% power from coal, while 40% of
power comes from coal in the United States, 41% in Germany, 68% in India, 78% in Australia,
79% in China and 93% in South Africa. Coal fired Rampal power plant planning is considered to
be one of the most controversial decisions as this project has environmental issues. However the
government of Bangladesh rejected allegations that the coal-based power plant would adversely
affect the worlds largest mangrove forest. The energy advisor of the prime minister said that the
controversy over the power plant and its impact on the Sundarbans was not based on facts. He
also said that the plant will not negatively affect the mangrove forest because the emission of
greenhouse gas will be kept at a minimum level.

The government also affirmed they will import high quality coal, build a 275 meter high
chimney and employ state-of-the art technology to keep its impact on the Sundarbans at a
negligible level. But the crucial discussion about environmental security of Sundarbans is not
satisfied yet. A number of NGOs and leftist political organizations have been staging protest
demonstrations in Dhaka and Rampal to mobilize public opinion against the AL governments
decision to build a thermal power plant near an ecologically sensitive area like Sundarbans.

Rampal coal Power project:

The Rampal Power Station is a proposed 1320-megawatt coal-fired power plant at Rampal in the
district of Bagerhat. It is a joint partnership between Indias state owned National Thermal Power
Corporation and Bangladesh Power Development Board. The joint venture company is known as
the Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company (BIFPC) or Moitri Power plant. The proposed
project, on an area of over 1834 acres of land, is situated 14 kilometres north of the Sundarbans.
It will be the countrys largest power plant. In August 2010, a Memorandum of Understanding
was signed between BPDB and NTPC) where they designated to implement the project by 2016.
On January 29, 2012, the BPDB signed an agreement with NTPC to build the plant, agreed to
implement the project on a 50:50 equity basis. The NTPC will set up and operate the plant.
Bangladesh and India will equally share up to 30 per cent of the capital of this project as equity.
The remainder of the capital, which might be equivalent to USD 1.5 billion, will be taken as
bank loans with help from the NTPC.

The project reportedly violates the environmental impact assessment guidelines for coal-based
thermal power plants. On August 01, 2013, the Department of Energy of Bangladesh approved
construction and set 50 preconditions for the project. But the location of the plant, 14 kilometers
from the Sundarbans, violates one of the basic preconditions which say such projects must be
outside a 25-kilometer radius from an ecologically sensitive area.

The predictions made by environment and ecology experts are that the plant will release toxic
gases such as carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen and sulphur dioxide, thereby putting the
surrounding areas and, most importantly, Sundarbans at grave risk. According to media reports,
the Indian central and state authorities which deal with environmental concerns in India rejected
the proposal of NTPC to set up a similar coal-fired thermal power plant at Gajmara in
Gadaawara of Madhya Pradesh over a number of points. NTPC failed to get approval of the
Indian Central Green Panel (Green Tribunal) in 2010 for the construction of that coal-fired
thermal power plant because a vast portion of double-crop agricultural land reportedly comprised
the site, a similar situation to Rampal.

On March 01, 2011, a bench of Bangladesh High Court asked the government why the
construction of the plant should not be declared illegal. Environmental experts have expressed
concerns that the proposed plant at Rampal in Bagerhat might destroy the Sundarbans.

On February 29, 2016, BIFPCL inked an agreement with Indias state-owned Bharat Heavy
Electricals Limited (BHEL) to build the plant. The Rampal power plant, which is also referred to
as Maitree (Friendship) Project, will be constructed over 1,834 hectares near the Mongla sea
port. The National Committee on Protection of Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, and Power-Port,
environmentalist groups, left-leaning parties and people in general have vowed to resist the
planned inauguration of the Rampal Power Plant.

However, many organized campaigns by various environment groups, Teachers-students, civil

societies are against it, the Rampal project could not make much headway in the initial years.
Local reports say the project was originally scheduled to be awarded by early 2014, and
completed by 2017, but the process was held up as the BIFPCL failed to obtain donors in the
face of environmental concerns. The company has acquired land and started the construction
work, including land filling and building infrastructure. Since the AL government wishes the
BIFPCL to make the power plant operational within its tenure, the company aims at completing
the mission by the end of 2019 with the entire power to be supplied to Bangladesh.
Worse fate for Sundarban:

The Sundarban is the world biggest mangrove forest in the world consisting 6200km of forest
and riverine areas. It is one of the richest natural gene pools for fauna and flora in the world. The
flora contains at least 69 species, with the Sundari and the Gewa being the dominant species. A
total of 425 species of wildlife, including 42 species of mammals, 300 species of birds, 35
reptiles, and eight amphibian species, have been identified in the Sundarbans. It is the home of
the Royal Bengal Tiger. UNESCO has declared the forest as a World Heritage Site.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has projected that the state of tropical
forest ecosystems is likely to get worse due to climate change. The Sundarbans is already
affected by climate change, importantly from increasing salinity and extreme weather events like
tropical cyclones. World Wildlife Fund for Nature Conservation (WWF) estimates that due to sea
level rise, nearly 7,500 hectares of mangrove forest in the Sundarbans may be flooded.

Many studies have shown that tropical cyclones destroy the mangrove forests to a large extent.
For instance, in the recent past, cyclone Sidr has destroyed one-third of the Sundarbans.

A recent study of IPCC showed that surface water temperature has been rising at the rate of 0.5
degree Celsius per decade over the past three decades in the Sundarbans, eight times the rate of
global warming rate of 0.06 degree Celsius per decade that makes the Sundarbans one of the
worst climate change hotspots on the globe.

Industrial developments in the region and opening up of access to trade have also imposed
increased demands on forest resources, particularly timber. A ten kilometer area surrounding the
Sundarbans was declared an ecologically critical area (ECA). However, the environment
ministry had already issued permission earlier to set up 150 industrial projects there. The no-
objection certificates are yet to be cancelled despite provision to revoke such permission once the
area is declared ECA. The recent Rampal power plant is also raising concern to mass wreck of
Sundarban. Experts in climate change predict that extreme weather, along with just a 45 cm rise
in sea level would submerge 75 percent of the Sunderbans.

AL government back on this project:

The AL government continues to back the Rampal project even after relentless campaigning
against it. The AL leaders have rejected the notions of the critics, saying they hardly reflect the
ground realities. The government claims that the power project will help mitigate the perennial
power crisis to an extent and add impetus to the local economy. The construction of the Rampal
power plant has been part of an ambitious government plan to enhance power generation to
20,000 MW by 2021.

Studies indicate that Bangladeshs environment department has approved the projects
environment impact assessment (EIA) report. The government officials have downplayed the
threats and insisted that the emissions of carbon, sulpher, fly ashes and other types of air
pollution will be kept at a minimum level to avoid any adverse impact on the environment.
They assured that the BIFPCL would import high quality coal, erect a 275 metre high chimney,
use state-of-art technology and undertake other steps to ensure that the plants impact on the
nearby Sundarbans remains at a negligible level.

The government argues that the project will lessen the financial dependency of the local people
on the mangrove forest by opening the opportunity of alternative employment. State Minister for
Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid observed that the local people, who had
been involved in illegal tree-felling and other illicit activities in the Sundarbans to earn a living,
would get job opportunities in the plant.

BIFPCL is piloting the project, said the site was chosen at a safe distance from the Sundarbans
after careful observation. The company has pointed out that the plant is located 69 km away from
the UNESCO World Heritage Site and 14 km from the border of the Sunderbans. The BIFPCL
has emphasized that modern ultra-super thermal technology will be used in the plant to prevent
emission of harmful dark smoke and ash. Furthermore, the senior company officials have
cautioned that delay in setting up the project will impede overall development of Bangladesh.

Likely adverse impacts

The plant will need to import 4.72 million tons of coal carrying need about 59 ships per
year, each having 80,000-ton capacity that would be taken to the port on the bank of the
Poshur river. The path from the port to the coal plant will cut through 40kms of the
Sundarbans. Environmentalists claim these coal-carrying vehicles scatter large amounts
of fly ash, coal dust and sulfur, and other toxic chemicals.

It could be threaten the delicate ecosystem of the Sundarbans, which is just 14 kms away
from the plant. Part of the Sundarbans is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a
number of international bodies have expressed reservations over the Rampal thermal
power plant. The plant, comprising two units of 660 MW each, is estimated to burn 4.72
million tonnes of coal a year. Fearing adverse impact on the largest mangrove forest of
the world, several environment organisations, local civic bodies and left parties have been
consistently demanding cancellation of the project, saying it would cause environmental
disasters.

The environmentalists have cautioned that the plant will release several toxic gases,
including carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, sulpher dioxide and large amount of fly
ash to the surrounding environment, polluting the ecologically sensitive Sundarbans. The
environmentalists are also seriously concerned over the project since Bangladesh is
highly vulnerable to climate change. They have noted that the Sundarbans, which act as a
natural guard against recurrent cyclones, should not be disturbed.

The power plant will also affect the livelihood of thousands of people who rely on the
Sundarbans and the nearby Passur River. Many non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
and rights groups have warned that the movement of coal in small vessels through the
Passur River on a daily basis is bound to contaminate its water. In such a scenario, the
local people, who have been engaged in fishing, will be rendered jobless.
 It is threaten that thousands of local inhabitants have already been dislocated for the
construction work. Reports suggest that the governments land acquisition for the project
have dispossessed many from their residences and farms. Moreover, the critics say the
power plant will encourage industrialization and urbanization, eventually destroying the
forest.

The Government already says a chimney of 275 meter height will be built. This will be
the countrys tallest structure. But only a taller chimney will not be able to solve of
carbon removal. Because, Mangroves can sequestrate or take up more carbon than any
other type of forest land. Because mangroves traps not only fine sediment and organic
matter but also coarse sediment driven by storm waves.

According to UNESCO, inscription of a site on the List of World Heritage in Danger

requires the World Heritage Committee to develop and adopt, in consultation with the
State Party concerned, a program for corrective measures, and subsequently to monitor
the situation of the site. All efforts must be made to restore the sites values in order to
enable its removal from the List of World Heritage in Danger as soon as possible.

Finally, this new coal-fired power plants will be the serious threat for world largest mangrove
forest; environmentalists are urging the United Nations to draw greater attention to the issue. A
handful of environmental groups, including Friends of the Earth, the Sierra Club and 350.org,
have cumulatively collected 50,000 signatures on a petition just submitted to the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) asking that the Sundarbans a
region of Bangladesh including a designated World Heritage Site be placed on the official List
of World Heritage in Danger. Meanwhile, activists continue to lobby against the construction of
the power plants.

On the other hands, Bangladeshi environmental activists march behind a banner during a rally
from Dhaka on March 10 toward the Sundarbans, part of a protest against the installation of a
power plant near the mangrove forest. Hundreds of Bangladeshi protesters marched from the
capital to the Sundarbans in a protest against plans to build a coal-fired power plant near the
World Heritage-listed forest. And also protest is running by verbal, written and structural
movement by all sectors of civil societies.

The writer is journalist and geopolitical analyst.

1. Introduction:

The people of Bangladesh have a deep-rooted awareness of human rights and fundamental
freedom borne of the experience accompanying the nations birth. This was again demonstrated
in the struggle of the people of Bangladesh and their heroic sacrifice for the restoration of
democracy by uprooting a+ deeply entrenched autocratic regime in December 1990.
The challenge before Bangladesh is to keep pace with rising expectations of people along a
broad and complex range of fronts that mark the indivisibility of human rights. Therefore,
Bangladesh reaffirms that right to development as established in the declaration on the right to
development as a universal and inalienable right and an integral part of the fundamental human
rights.
Bangladesh considers that hunger, poverty, illiteracy which characterize underdevelopment to be
formidable impediments, which frustrate the effective enjoyment of human rights. Removal of
these impediments through mutual co-operation is, therefore, vital for the full realization of the
aims and objectives of the Universal Declaration of the Human Rights. Bangladesh is pleased to
note that the Vienna Declaration adopted in June 1993 at the conclusion of the World Conference
on Human Rights highlighted the universal character and the indivisibility of human rights as
well as reiterated the fact that existence of extreme poverty inhibits the full and effective
enjoyment of human rights and that its immediate alleviation and eventual elimination must
remain a high priority for the international community.
Bangladesh pledged its total commitment and unwavering support to the United Nations for its
continuing efforts in promoting dignity and worth of the human person and for full realization of
the principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Parliament in Bangladesh is sovereign and democratic polity is being given a permanent shape
through institution building.

The administration has been made transparent and accountable, the press enjoys full freedom and
the judiciary has been made independent.
The concept of human rights and gender equality is enshrined in the constitution of Bangladesh
which, inter alia, guarantees equality of women in all spheres of state and public life. The
government recognizes the equality of women as a principle of state policy and is fully aware of
the importance and dignity of women in the overall development of the society. Keeping this in
view, the government of Bangladesh has not only taken up various action programmes, but has
also brought about legislative changes to give an institutional shape to the rights and the role of
women in the national life of Bangladesh. In pursuance of this firm commitment, Bangladesh has
to date, acceded to Nine International Instruments partaining to human rights, including the
Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Convention
on the Rights of the Children. In fact, Bangladesh is one of the first 20 ratifying states to the
Convention on the Rights of the Children and also is a signatory to the UN Declaration of the
World Summit on Children. As a follow-up action of the Summit Declaration, Bangladesh-
UNICEF Advisory Group has already completed a National Plan of Action for child survival,
development and
protection. Bangladeshs commitment and active involvement in ameliorating the condition of
women bear recognition in its election to such international bodies as the Commission on
Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Commission on tre Status of Women and the
Board of Trustees of the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of
Women. Quota system for women has been introduced with regard to employment in
government and semi-government offices.
A policy decision has been taken at the highest level of the government to ensure women their
rightful share in the society. There are 30 reserved seats for women in national parliament and
quotas have been fixed for them in government jobs. Stringent laws have been enacted to protect
women from social evils and to ensure their rights. Steps have also been taken for the economic
empowerment of women.
On the question of the rights of minorities and communal harmony it can be said that Bangladesh
is regarded as model in this regard in the region. The government and the people have ensured
complete communal harmony in the country

Chapter two

2.1. what are human rights?

Human rights refers to the basic rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled.[1]
Examples of rights and freedoms which have come to be commonly thought of as human rights
include civil and political rights, such as the right to life and liberty, freedom of expression, and
equality before the law; and social, cultural and economic rights, including the right to
participate in culture, the right to food, the right to work, and the right to education.

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are
endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit
of brotherhood.

Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, whatever our nationality, place of rex
ilence, sex, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, language, or any other status. We are all
equally entitled to our human rights without discrimination. These rights are all interrelated,
interdependent, and indivisible.

Universal human rights are often expressed and guaranteed by law, in the forms of treaties,
customary international law , general principles and other sources of international law.
International human rights law lays down obligations of Governments to act in certain ways or to
refrain from certain acts, in order to promote and protect human rights and fundamental
freedoms of individuals or groups.

Universal and inalienable

The principle of universality of human rights is the cornerstone of international human rights
law. This principle, as first emphasized in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights in 1948,
has been reiterated in numerous international human rights conventions, declarations, and
resolutions. The 1993 Vienna World Conference on Human Rights, for example, noted that it is
the duty of States to promote and protect all human rights and fundamental freedoms, regardless
of their political, economic and cultural systems.

All States have ratified at least one, and 80% of States have ratified four or more, of the core
human rights treaties, reflecting consent of States which creates legal obligations for them and
giving concrete expression to universality. Some fundamental human rights norms enjoy
universal protection by customary international law across all boundaries and civilizations.

Human rights are inalienable. They should not be taken away, except in specific situations and
according to due process. For example, the right to liberty may be restricted if a person is found
guilty of a crime by a court of law.

Interdependent and indivisible

All human rights are indivisible, whether they are civil and political rights, such as the right to
life, equality before the law and freedom of expression; economic, social and cultural rights,
such as the rights to work, social security and education, or collective rights, such as the rights to
development and self-determination, are indivisible, interrelated and interdependent. The
improvement of one right facilitates advancement of the others. Likewise, the deprivation of one
right adversely affects the others.

Equal and non-discriminatory

Non-discrimination is a cross-cutting principle in international human rights law. The principle is

present in all the major human rights treaties and provides the central theme of some of
international human rights conventions such as the International Convention on the Elimination
of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women.

The principle applies to everyone in relation to all human rights and freedoms and it prohibits
discrimination on the basis of a list of non-exhaustive categories such as sex, race, colour and so
on. The principle of non-discrimination is complemented by the principle of equality, as stated in
Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: All human beings are born free and
equal in dignity and rights.

Both Rights and Obligations

Human rights entail both rights and obligations. States assume obligations and duties under
international law to respect, to protect and to fulfil human rights. The obligation to respect means
that States must refrain from interfering with or curtailing the enjoyment of human rights. The
obligation to protect requires States to protect individuals and groups against human rights
abuses. The obligation to fulfil means that States must take positive action to facilitate the
enjoyment of basic human rights. At the individual level, while we are entitled our human rights,
we should also respect the human rights of others.

Human rights are expressions of basic human values that societies have sought to protect from
abuse and exploitation. Throughout history, for ethical, cultural, legal, political, and other
reasons, diverse societies have affirmed the human and labor rights of individuals.

To codify such rights and values globally, the United Nations and the International Labour
Organization (ILO) a sister U.N. agency that promotes international labor standards
developed two important declarations on human and labor rights for all member states to adopt.
These declarations include Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) as well as the
Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (DFPRW).

In addition to defining civil, political and economic rights, these important documents have
helped to define which labor rights need protection by governments and other members of
society. Such labor and human rights include the right to be compensated in accordance with
applicable laws or, in the absence of applicable laws, in accordance with local industry standard;
the right to be protected from unsafe working conditions; the right to be protected from forced,
indentured or exploitative employment; and the right to work in an environment free from
harassment and discrimination.

2.2.Human Rights and Good Governance

Apart from the different development co-operation sectoral programmes, we are attaches great
importance to the improvement of the human rights situation in Bangladesh. Poor people are the
most vulnerable to all forms of violation of human rights. Strengthening of the formal justice
system is necessary to develop the capacity to ensure safety, security and access to justice for all.
we will give special attention to vulnerable groups in society like detainees or land-less people.

we are continues its support to selected organisations that contribute effectively to awareness
raising, empowerment and legal training on human rights issues in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh
Bar Council has received Dutch funding for its human rights training programme for young
lawyers.

Article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights stipulates the right to vote and to be
elected at periodic and genuine elections, which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and
shall be held by secret ballot or by equivalent free voting procedures, guaranteeing the free
expression of the will of the electors. We are believes that election monitors can make important
contributions to the credibility of the upcoming elections in Bangladesh. Therefore it financially
supports the Fair Election Monitoring Alliance (FEMA) in its effort to deploy 70,000 local non-
partisan observers at polling stations throughout the country.
We will follow the developments in and with respect to the Chittagong Hill Tracts and
investigate possible ways and means to contribute to a promising implementation of the Peace
Accord of 1997. Some funding of activities in the framework of the sector programmes under the
bilateral co-operation programme or in the field of human rights is not excluded.

A corruption free, transparent and accountable government is a vital requirement for the
sustainable development of any country. Being the host of the international anti-corruption forum
in The Hague in May 2001, clearly demonstrated the importance we are attaches to this issue. We
are currently supports Transparency International Bangladesh, a prominent anti-corruption
organisation, in its effort to involve citizens in the fight for curbing corruption. However, without
addressing the shortcomings in the financial management of the government itself no
improvement in good governance will be achieved. Therefore the considers co-funding the
programme of the ministry of Finance with DFID funding: Reforms in Budgeting and
Expenditure Control. Moreover, the supports a UNDP project aimed at improving the working
methods of the parliament and the democratic process

2.3. Importance of Human Rights:

Human Rights belong to individuals simply because they are human beings. Human Rights are
universal, inherent and inalienable. Individuals, once objects of international law, have been
subjects of international law since the Nuremberg trial of 1946. Individuals have rights and
obligations under international law.

The institutions for protection of human rights on national and international scene have
developed exponentially since the establishment of the UN in 1945. The Charter of the UN is
based on three pillars, maintenance of international peace and security, promotion of human
rights and social and economic development.

Human Rights since 70s have been elevated to a matter of international rather than a national
concern. All international instruments require states domestic systems to provide adequate
redress for those whose rights have been violated.

It is only when those states own system falters or where it is non-existent, international
mechanism for securing human rights come into play. There is a symbiotic relationship between
national and international systems.

Chapter three

3.1.Bangladesh present standards national Human Rights Commission:

National Human Rights Commission, such as Bangladesh Human Rights Commission (HRC),
will play a key role in the application of human rights.
Although certain fundamental human rights are justifiable by the Supreme Court in Bangladesh
by virtue of Article 102 of the Constitution, the setting up of HRC is complementary to the
powers of the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court deals with enforcement of human rights while HRC promotes human rights,
investigates into breaches of human rights and makes aware of human rights among all sections
of community, including rural men and women.

Other functions of HRC

Among other functions of HRC, there are three central functions, (a) investigation into violation
of human rights, (b) public inquiry into human rights situations, such as homeless children or
slum dwellers, (c) education, publicity and research.
Rampal project: priorities and concerns

Bangladeshs $1.6 billion Rampal thermal power project in Bagerhat district, under southern
Khulna Division, has been in the midst of controversies for its possible negative impacts on the
already fragile ecosystem of the Sundarbans. Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League (AL)
government believes that the 1320 MW capacity power plant is essential to meet the countrys
ever-growing demand for electricity.

The project is also important from the standpoint of the AL governments mid-term and long-
term development agendas. The government holds that the power plant will significantly
contribute towards the development of Rampal Upazila an area that has remained deprived in
terms of infrastructure over the years.

An India-Bangladesh joint venture

The Rampal project was first conceived in 2010. Bangladesh signed an agreement with India for
the joint coal-based power project on January 29, 2012. Indias state-owned National Thermal
Power Corporation (NTPC) and Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) will have equal
ownership of the plant and also the electricity it generates.

Subsequently, in 2013, Bangladesh India Friendship Company Limited (BIFPCL) was formed to
deal with power trading between the two South Asian countries. The BIFPCL is a 50:50 joint
venture between NTPC and BPDB. On February 29, 2016, BIFPCL inked an agreement with
Indias state-owned Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) to build the plant. The Rampal
power plant, which is also referred to as Maitree (Friendship) Project, will be constructed over
1,834 hectares near the Mongla sea port.

Progress of work

Amidst organised campaigns by various environment groups against it, the Rampal project could
not make much headway in the initial years. Local reports say the project was originally
scheduled to be awarded by early 2014, and completed by 2017, but the process was held up as
the BIFPCL failed to obtain donors in the face of environmental concerns. The company has
acquired land and started the construction work, including land filling and building
infrastructure. Since the AL government wishes the BIFPCL to make the power plant operational
within its tenure, the company aims at completing the mission by the end of 2019 with the entire
power to be supplied to Bangladesh.

Likely adverse impacts

Bangladeshs environment groups say the coal-fired Rampal power project could threaten the
delicate ecosystem of the Sundarbans, which is just 14 kms away from the plant. Part of the
Sundarbans is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a number of international bodies have
expressed reservations over the Rampal thermal power plant. The entire electricity generation
process will be based on coal imported from countries like Indonesia and Australia. The plant,
comprising two units of 660 MW each, is estimated to burn 4.72 million tonnes of coal a year.
Fearing adverse impact on the largest mangrove forest of the world, several environment
organisations, local civic bodies and left parties have been consistently demanding cancellation
of the project, saying it would cause environmental disasters.

The environmentalists have cautioned that the plant will release several toxic gases, including
carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, sulpher dioxide and large amount of fly ash to the
surrounding environment, polluting the ecologically sensitive Sundarbans. The environmentalists
are also seriously concerned over the project since Bangladesh is highly vulnerable to climate
change. They have noted that the Sundarbans, which act as a natural guard against recurrent
cyclones, should not be disturbed.

The power plant will also affect the livelihood of thousands of people who rely on the
Sundarbans and the nearby Passur river. Many non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and
rights groups have warned that the movement of coal in small vessels through the Passur river on
a daily basis is bound to contaminate its water. In such a scenario, the local people, who have
been engaged in fishing, will be rendered jobless.

The groups opposed to the project maintain that thousands of local inhabitants have already been
dislocated for the construction work. Reports suggest that the governments land acquisition for
the project have dispossessed many from their residences and farms. Moreover, the critics say
the power plant will encourage industralisation and urbanisation, eventually destroying the
forest. A number of NGOs and leftist political organisations have been staging protest
demonstrations in Dhaka and Rampal to mobilise public opinion against the AL governments
decision to build a thermal power plant near an ecologically sensitive area like Sundarbans.

Bangladeshs chronic power crisis

The recent debate over the Rampal project is to be seen against the backdrop of the critical
condition of Bangladeshs power sector, without underestimating the environmental concerns.
The country has been facing severe shortage of electricity since its inception. It currently has an
installed capacity of 10,283 MW which is far below the actual requirement. This South Asian
nation of 160 million faces a daily shortage of up to 1,500 MW of electricity, hampering the
growth of the economy. Bangladesh has one of the lowest per capita electric consumption at 371
kilowatt-hours, with 74% of its population having access to electricity. The country badly needs
international financial and technical support to develop its power infrastructure. In the last few
years, India has been assisting the eastern neighbour in meeting its rising demand for electricity.
AL governments position

The AL government continues to back the Rampal project even after relentless campaigning
against it. The AL leaders have rejected the notions of the critics, saying they hardly reflect the
ground realities. The government claims that the power project will help mitigate the perennial
power crisis to an extent and add impetus to the local economy. The construction of the Rampal
power plant has been part of an ambitious government plan to enhance power generation to
20,000 MW by 2021.

Studies indicate that Bangladeshs environment department has approved the projects
environment impact assessment (EIA) report. The government officials have downplayed the
threats and insisted that the emissions of carbon, sulpher, fly ashes and other types of air
pollution will be kept at a minimum level to avoid any adverse impact on the environment.
They assured that the BIFPCL would import high quality coal, erect a 275 metre high chimney,
use state-of-art technology and undertake other steps to ensure that the plants impact on the
nearby Sundarbans remains at a negligible level.

The government argues that the project will lessen the financial dependency of the local people
on the mangrove forest by opening the opportunity of alternative employment. State Minister for
Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid observed that the local people, who had
been involved in illegal tree-felling and other illicit activities in the Sundarbans to earn a living,
would get job opportunities in the plant.

BIFPCLs assurance

Intervening into the ongoing debate over the implications of the Rampal power plant, the
BIFPCL, which is piloting the project, said the site was chosen at a safe distance from the
Sundarbans after careful observation. The company has pointed out that the plant is located 69
km away from the UNESCO World Heritage Site and 14 km from the border of the Sunderbans.
The BIFPCL has emphasised that modern ultra-super thermal technology will be used in the
plant to prevent emission of harmful dark smoke and ash. Furthermore, the senior company
officials have cautioned that delay in setting up the project will impede overall development of
Bangladesh.

Debate over the appropriate source of energy

The environmentalists have also raised questions over the AL governments penchant for coal-
based power plant even though the major source of energy in the country is natural gas. They
have urged the government to change the coal-dependent energy policy and instead look for
biogas, mini-hydroelectric, wind and solar to fulfill the countrys energy requirements. The
BIFPCL on the other hand defends the use of coal as fuel to generate power in the proposed
plant. The company argues that Bangladesh produces a mere 2.26% power from coal, while 40%
of power comes from coal in the United States, 41% in Germany, 68% in India, 78% in
Australia, 79% in China and 93% in South Africa.

Necessity for a legal framework to protect environment

There is a need to see the Rampal issue from the perspective of democratic governance,
especially establishment of rule of law in the country. The Hasina government has undoubtedly
facilitated democratic intuition building despite periodic political turmoil, but it can do more.
Unlike neighbouring India, where the 1972 Wildlife Protection Act ensures a 15 km exclusive
zone around national parks and reserve forests, Bangladesh has not enacted a law nor formulated
guidelines specifying minimum distance for a coal-fired power plant from reserve forests or
ecologically vulnerable areas. As a significant part of Bangladeshs political elites come from the
legal profession, it is assumed that they understand the importance of introducing a legal
framework that guarantees much needed infrastructure development across the country without
posing any threat to the environment.

A new power plant could devastate the worlds largest mangrove forest

The planets largest mangrove forest could be facing serious trouble in the form of two new coal-
fired power plants, environmentalists say and theyre urging the United Nations to draw
greater attention to the issue.

A handful of environmental groups, including Friends of the Earth, the Sierra Club and 350.org,
have cumulatively collected 50,000 signatures on a petition just submitted to the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) asking that the
Sundarbans a region of Bangladesh including a designated World Heritage Site be placed
on the official List of World Heritage in Danger. Meanwhile, activists continue to lobby against
the construction of the power plants.

The petition was submitted ahead of this years meeting of the World Heritage Committee, which
convened in Istanbul last week. Meanwhile, progress on the Rampal power plant the proposed
project garnering the greatest amount of concern in Bangladesh continues to move forward.
Last week, local media reported that an official agreement had been signed awarding Indias
state-run Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. an engineering and construction deal on the Rampal
project, paving the way for its continued development.

The importance of the Sundarbans

The Sundarbans include a region spanning thousands of square miles of land and water in India
and Bangladesh and including what may be the largest mangrove forest in the world. The area is
known for the rich habitat it provides for hundreds of birds and numerous endangered or
threatened species, including the Bengal tiger and the Indian python.

Several locations in the Sundarbans are listed as World Heritage Sites United Nations-
designated areas identified for their cultural or natural significance. These include the
Sundarbans mangrove forest in Bangladesh, which spans the drainage basins of the Ganges,
Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers and is intersected by a complex network of other rivers and
waterways.

The Sundarbans mangrove forest was named a World Heritage Site in 1997, and its UNESCO
description notes that the area supports exceptional biodiversity in its terrestrial, aquatic and
marine habitats. Additionally, the area is critically important for the livelihoods people living in
and around the site, protecting their communities from storm and tidal surges, and supporting
fishing and farming.

Mohammad Hasib Munsi, 32, sorts fish in the river between the Joymuni village and Sundarbans
mangrove forest in 2014 in Khulna Division, Bangladesh. (Getty Images)

Environmental groups in Bangladesh and around the world are worried that the area and its
inhabitants may be in jeopardy. Two coal-fired power plants have been proposed, both within a
few miles of the Sundarbans, and activists are concerned that the power plants presence could
alter the critical water balance in the region, pollute the surrounding water and air, and increase
the risk of oil and coal spills, all of which they say could seriously damage the mangrove forest
and threaten the well-being of the people and animals who call it home.
The most recently proposed project is the Orion power plant, a 630-megawatt plant being
planned by the Orion Group. But the project receiving the most attention is the proposed Rampal
power plant, which involves a partnership between Indias state-owned National Thermal Power
Corp. and the Bangladesh Power Development Board. The joint venture, which was established
in 2012, is known as the Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Co. Ltd., or BIFPCL. The plan for
the Rampal power plant is an installed capacity of 1,320 megawatts.

Currently, Bangladesh has an installed power-generation capacity of about 12,000 megawatts.

But the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) has estimated that demand will nearly
triple by the year 2030 and is working to increase the countrys installed capacity accordingly.
About 15,000 megawatts of the demand are expected to be supplied by coal-fired plants.

Furthermore, the World Bank estimates that about 60 percent of the population of Bangladesh
currently has access to electricity, so increased access has become a priority for the government.
Both the current administration of Bangladesh and Indian prime minister Narendra Modi have
expressed support for the Rampal project.

The controversy

Protests against the Rampal project began several years ago among local inhabitants threatened
with displacement by the project, said Renuka Saroha, a consultant with 350.org.

Initially, it was a movement by people living in that area who just wanted to protect their land,
she said. These were poor farmers who did not have a lot of idea about what a power plant
could do to the entire ecosystem.

Eventually, though, she said, the word began to spread among local nongovernmental
organizations and attracted the attention of environmental groups elsewhere. Opposition has
continued to ramp up recently. In March, hundreds of activists completed a four-day march from
Dhaka into southwest Bangladesh to protest the Rampal plants construction.
Bangladeshi environmental activists march behind a banner during a rally from Dhaka on March
10 toward the Sundarbans, part of a protest against the installation of a power plant near the
mangrove forest. Hundreds of Bangladeshi protesters marched from the capital to the
Sundarbans in a protest against plans to build a coal-fired power plant near the World Heritage-
listed forest. (Agence France-Presse/Getty Images)

According to Saroha, the biggest concern among activists revolves around the plants effects on
local water supplies. According to the proposal, the completed plant would draw its water from
the nearby Passur River, later discharging treated waste water back into the river.
Environmentalists worry about pollutants being introduced into the water supply to the detriment
of the mangroves, the marine animals living there and nearby human communities who rely on
the water for fishing and agriculture.

Activists are also concerned that a source of coal for the plant has not yet been identified,
although suggestions have included importing coal from Australia or shipping it in from India.
Its an issue some think was not adequately addressed in the projects environmental impact
assessment, Saroha said.

If you dont know the source of coal, and if you dont have any agreement for the coal supply,
how can you have an impact assessment? she said. Because the content of sulfur [in the coal]
is very important when youre assessing the impact. Additionally, environmentalists worry
about the possibility of spills as the coal is being transported through the regions waterways to
the plants construction site. The region already experienced one such disaster two years ago,
when an oil tanker collided with another vessel in the Shela River, spilling tens of thousands of
gallons of oil into the water and threatening habitat for the rare Irrawaddy and Ganges dolphins
and other wildlife in the area.

And in a broader sense, environmentalists also worry that the completed power plant, and its
steady electricity supply, will attract other forms of industry to the area that could prove harmful
to the ecosystem.

It is inevitable this entire area will become an industrial hub, Saroha said. The cumulative
damage to the entire ecosystem is going to be irreversible.

The sun sets over Joymuni village, at the edge of the Sundarbans in 2014 in Khulna Division,
Bangladesh. The Rampal power plant is being constructed near the worlds largest mangrove
forest, the Sundarbans. The government is insistent that the project is needed to supply power to
the country and that the plant is safe for the environment, but activists say that it will destroy the
forest. (Getty Images)

Damage to the ecosystem could have consequences for the global climate. Research suggests that
mangrove forests serve as highly effective carbon sinks. According to the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, mangrove forests and coastal wetlands may be able to store up to
five times more carbon than the same size tropical forest. Damaging these ecosystems can both
harm their ability to continue storing carbon, as well as release carbon thats already sequestered.

Adding to this would be the carbon emissions produced by the coal plants themselves. According
to the environmental impact assessment, the plant would require almost 13,000 tons of coal per
day and would release an estimated 7.9 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each
year.

Energy and Environment newsletter

The science and policy of environmental issues.

Repeated attempts to contact representatives of the Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Co. Ltd.
for a response were unsuccessful. However, the company has issued several statements in the
past, according to local media. In an October statement, BIFPCL reportedly asserted that this
power plant would be established by following all rules, regulations and standards of
international organization as well as the Department of Environment of Bangladesh. All,
including human beings, the Sundarbans and its bio-diversities, Pashur River, birds and fishes
are totally safe from this power plant.

In response to the specific concerns of environmentalists about pollution or coal spills, the
statement added: Modern ultra-Super Thermal Technology would be used in the plant, which
would prevent emission of harmful dark smoke and ash. While transporting to the plant the coal
would be covered. So water or air will not be polluted. The water will be processed through
improved technology. No polluted or hot water will be discharged to the river.

Despite the protests, whether its possible for environmentalists to stop the construction of the
Rampal power plant remains unclear. The goal of the recent petition to UNESCO is to have the
site added to the official list of World Heritage in Danger, which can aid in calling international
attention to the threats they face and motivate governments to better assess the consequences.

According to UNESCO, inscription of a site on the List of World Heritage in Danger requires
the World Heritage Committee to develop and adopt, in consultation with the State Party
concerned, a programme for corrective measures, and subsequently to monitor the situation of
the site. All efforts must be made to restore the sites values in order to enable its removal from
the List of World Heritage in Danger as soon as possible.

If the Sundarbans were to make it onto the list which remains up to the discretion of the
World Heritage Committee Saroha notes that outcomes could range from more stringent eco-
friendly technological requirements for the completed plant to the outright cancellation of the
project.
Indian company to build new coal power plant

Event

On February 28th a state-run Indian power company, Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL), was
awarded a contract to build a 1,320mw capacity coal-fired power plant. It will generate power
equivalent to around 10% of Bangladesh's currently installed capacity.

Analysis

Around two-thirds of Bangladesh's 160m population have no access to electricity and the lack of
power remains a major break on growth. Although the new power plant will be a valuable
contribution to one of the government's major pillars of economic development, it will not
resolve this situation.

BHEL has won the bid to build what will be Bangladesh's largest capacity power plant at
Rampal, 450 km south-west of the capital, Dhaka, and 80 km from the border with the Indian
state of West Bengal. The state-run power company edged out two state-backed Chinese
competitors and a private Indian company, Larsen & Toubro. The India-Bangladesh joint venture
has been touted on both sides as a symbol of closer economic co-operation and follows the
establishment in 2015 of a power transmission line, which allows Bangladesh to import 500 mw
of power from West Bengal. The project is part of the Bangladesh government's broader strategy
of expanding coal-generated power generation as the country's gas reserves, still the main source
of energy, diminish.

However, the Rampal power plant is controversial. Its proposed location is 14 km north of the
Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest and a UNESCO world heritage site.
Environmentalists say that building a coal plant there would violate the Ramsar Convention, an
international environmental treaty for the conservation of wetlands, to which Bangladesh is a
signatory. The Bangladesh government has maintained that the project does not put the area at
risk.

India and Bangladesh have a history of proposed multi-billion dollar projects that never
materialise. Given the environmental concerns, it is almost certain that the opposition in
Bangladesh and abroad will mount legal challenges against this project. This is likely to delay
construction, while the industrial sector's demand for power continues to grow apace. Electricity
generation will remain a constraint on industrial development throughout the forecast period.

Impact on the forecast

We expect the government to continue to push for an expansion of coal-generated power.

However, the Rampal project is likely to face opposition and delays, meaning that any major
contributions to the country's electricity grid from the plant are expected to fall outside of our
201620 forecast period.