The Rampal Power Plant was established without taking public consent. Forest Department had been forced to release forest land under pressure during approval process, Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan said.
Speaking at the Regional Infrastructure Monitoring Alliance Conference held at a city hotel on Sunday, the environment, forest and climate change adviser made these remarks.
“The Rampal Power Plant was built without public discussion or consent,” Rizwana said. “The government even pressured the Forest Ministry to surrender forest land for it. Is this democracy? Have we lost our right to say ‘no’?”
She further stated that in the past decade, the burden of loans, inflation, and poor investments had been unfairly placed on the shoulders of ordinary citizens, without ever being corrected.
“Foreign investments have entered the country without public consultation, putting our national security, environment, and forests at serious risk,” she added.
Calling for a stronger institutional framework to ensure environmental protection, public rights, and accountability, Rizwana said, “We need institutions that give equal importance to the environment, people’s rights, and accountability.
“We want electricity, but not at the cost of the environment,’’ she continued.
“We welcome investment, but our voices must matter. Bangladesh stands at a crossroads today. What we need is a transformative agenda that puts people at the centre—otherwise, this development will remain one-sided and self-serving.”
The adviser also cautioned against exploitative foreign investments, saying, “Yes, the country needs electricity, but never by destroying the environment. Foreign investments must reflect the will and needs of the people.
“Only when investment aligns with participation, transparency, and responsibility does it become sustainable—otherwise, it turns into exploitation.”
“In my view, investment is not just about money – it’s about power, and about deciding who holds it,” she concluded. “For those outside the circle of power, this kind of development only brings fear and uncertainty.”
