Govt silent on protecting the Sundarbans: Sultana Kamal

The government is silent on protecting the Sundarbans as it did not respond to the study reports submitted by the National Committee to Protect the Sundarbans, rights activist Sultana Kamal said today.

She also said the international organisations like the World Heritage Committee of Unesco asked Bangladesh government about the Sundarbans, a world heritage site, but the government did not respond to it.  

“We should realise what will happen after the operation of Rampal power plant project begins,” Sultana Kamal remarked at a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) in the capital.

National Committee to Protect the Sundarbans, Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) and Water Keepers Bangladesh arranged the conference where columnist Sayed Abul Maksud and other environmentalists were also present.

Sultana Kamal said the government will have to implement the recommendation of the World Heritage Committee of Unesco over protection of the Sundarbans. All works of infrastructure near the Sundarbans will have to be stopped immediately, she added.

The press conference was arranged following the outcome of a recent study report conducted by Environmental Science Department of Khulna University. The study said that the banks of the Pashur river started facing erosion due to industrial activities ahead of the operation of Rampal power plant project.