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The recent approval of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report for Orion Group’s Dhaka 635 MW coal power plant in Matarbari, Moheshkhali, Cox’s Bazar has raised serious concerns among local communities and environmental groups.
An urgent campaign was organized on Saturday by Songshoptaque, Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network (CLEAN), Bangladesh Working Group on Ecology and Development (BWGED), and the people of Matarbari, according to a press release from CLEAN. The campaign gathered members of civil society, environmental organizations, and local residents to discuss and protest the environmental and social impacts of the Dhaka 635 MW coal power project. Strong questions have been raised about how such a controversial EIA report was approved during the tenure of Syeda Rizwana Hasan, the Honorable Adviser to the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
In September 2024, CLEAN, BWGED, and local organizations led multiple campaigns demanding the cancellation of this power plant. Additionally, an open letter raising concerns about the project’s financing was sent to the relevant government departments on October 31, 2024. Environmental organizations have long been campaigning against the harmful effects of coal-based projects.
Agradut Dasgupta, Director of Sangshaptak, stated, “This is not just an environmental negligence but a serious threat to the livelihood and health of local people. According to the Paris Agreement, no new coal projects should be approved, yet this harmful project has been given the green light, which is disappointing.”
He further added, “The government and relevant authorities must listen to the voices of the people and make decisions based on scientific and environmental analysis.”
Energy experts have warned that if this power plant is implemented, Matarbari’s biodiversity, agriculture, fisheries, and overall ecosystem will be at severe risk. Despite long-standing protests by local communities and environmental organizations, the project’s approval has caused deep frustration and anger among Sangshaptak, CLEAN, BWGED, and the people of Matarbari.
CLEAN, BWGED, Songshoptaque, and other local organizations are demanding a full disclosure of the EIA approval process from the relevant government departments. They are also calling for a re-evaluation of the project’s financing and implementation legitimacy.
