Environmental, Forest and Climate Change Affairs Adviser and Water Resources Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan has alleged that the previous government established the Rampal Power Plant by disregarding public opinion. She also claimed that the government had exerted pressure on the Forest Ministry to release forest land for the project.
Speaking on Sunday, October 5, at the Regional Infrastructure Monitoring Alliance Conference held at Hotel Lake Castle in Gulshan, Dhaka, Rizwana Hasan questioned, “Is this democracy? Have we lost the right to say no?”
The adviser emphasized that Bangladesh needs electricity, but not at the cost of environmental destruction. “We want power, but not by destroying nature. We want investment, but one that values our voices,” she said. Rizwana Hasan noted that the country now stands at a critical crossroads and requires a transformative agenda that puts people at its center. Otherwise, she warned, the current model of development would remain one-sided and unsustainable.
She reiterated that while power generation is essential, it must never come at the expense of the environment. Referring to foreign investments, Rizwana Hasan said they must align with the needs and aspirations of the people. “Foreign investment becomes sustainable only when it ensures public participation, transparency, and accountability. Otherwise, it turns into exploitation,” she stated.
The adviser further added that over the past decade, the burdens of debt, inflation, and misguided investments have been placed on the shoulders of ordinary citizens, without meaningful correction or accountability. The lack of public consultation in approving foreign projects, she said, has jeopardized national security, environmental integrity, and forest resources.
