Dhaka: A mass vote organized by the Samajtantrik Chhatra Front has voted down the Rampal power plant.

It took place in the form of a referendum where around 90.48 percent of 10,111 voters opposed the construction of the power plant and 8.51 percent voted for it, delivering an overwhelming majority against the plant. 

The mass voting was started from October 31. Voters included teachers, students, and officials of the university. The result of the mass vote was published at Dhaka University on Thursday.

Professor Anu Muhammad, member secretary of National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports, announced the result of the poll at a rally held at Aparajeyo Bangla premises at the campus.

He said if the prime minister let her activists cast votes independently over the issue, 99 per cent people would vote against the power plant. The government is cheating the people over Rampal project, he alleged. 

“They claim that they would use 'Super-critical' technologies for the project but its implementer National Thermal Power Corporation of India (NTPC) says there is nothing called 'Super-critical' technology,” added Anu Muhammad.

Badrul Imam, Professor of Geology Department of the University said that Rampal power plant is a curse. There will be no way to stop the pollution once it kicks off.

The National Thermal Power Corporation of India (NTPC) in collaboration with the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDP) is in the process of setting up a 1,320MW coal fired power plant in Rampal which is situated approximately 14km from the Sundarbans, the largest remaining mangrove forest in the world and a Ramsar and a World Heritage Site.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) also call for relocation of the power plant.