Power deal with Adani only to appease Indian government: Speakers

Bangladesh government signed deal with Adani Power only to appease the Indian government, speakers said at a press briefing on Sunday. They asked the government to rescind the power purchase deal with Adani power.

Bhasani Anusari Parishad organised the press brefining at Ganasasthya Kendra Hospital in the city demanding Bangladesh withdraw from the deal. The organisation also announced to hold protest rally in the same demand on 10 March in front of National Press Club.

The speakers blamed the government for taking wrong plans in power and energy sectors by relying too much on import. Over reliance on import has been leading to gradual increase of prices of power, the alleged.

Gonoshasthya Kendra’s founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury said the current government is only focused on allowing India to loot.

He told the people that neither Awami League nor BNP can save you, you have to save yourselves.

Zafrullah also said Ahmadiyya community is being persecuted in the country.

Former member secretary of the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports, professor Anu Muhammad said Bangladesh signed the deal with Adani to placate Indian prime minister Narendra Modi.

He said the people involved with signing this deal and the other deals that likely to harm the country should be brought to book.

The former professor of Jahangirnagar University termed Rooppur nuclear project as a risky project with high cost. He said the project was not necessary since the country has double the production capacity than required.

He said importing power from India or Adani was not required.

Nagorik Oikya’s convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna said an abominable government is ruling the country and the deal with Adani has been signed totally out of political consideration.

Ganasanghati Andolon’s chief coordinator Zonayed Saki said such a deal would not have been signed if an accountable government were in power in Bangladesh. The power purchase part of the initiatives the government took to appease the Indian government before 2018 general election. The deal ensured everything to make Adani happy.

Saki said if India wants to keep a certain group in Bangladesh’s power, they would lose the friendship of people of the country.  He added that the government has unleashed repression to cling to the power at one hand and appeasing different powers on the other.

In the written statement, the organisation termed the deal as against the interest of the country and seditious.

Adani Group set up the coal-fired power plant in the Godda district of Jharkhand state in India. Bangladesh will be the lone buyer of the 1600-megawatt power plant for the next 25 years. The plant is likely to commence electricity supply to Bangladesh in March.

Adani signed a deal with Bangladesh in 2017 and started constructing the power plant in Jharkhand to supply electricity as per the deal.