Dhaka: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Sunday hit out at Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for asking Rampal power plant project critics to meet tigers in the Sundarbans, saying it has exposed her despotic attitude.

“The Prime Minister yesterday (Sunday) said those who oppose coal-fired power plant they don’t have any compassion for people. They should meet the Royal Bengal Tiger in the Sundarbans. Her comment demonstrated her autocratic attitude,” said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

Speaking at a press conference at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, he further said, “How desperate and wayward one can be in making such a comment and trifle public sentiment. It’s an insult to the nation.”

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the 57th National Convention of the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) at its Chittagong centre, Sheikh Hasina slammed the critics of Rampal power plant project and insisted that the plant would cause no environmental damage.

“The construction site of the plant is around 14 kilometres away from the outer boundary of the Sundarbans and about 70 kilometres off the world heritage site. It is being set up in Rampal, not in the Sundarbans. So, there’s no possibility of causing any damage to the Sundarbans,” she also observed.

Reacting to the Prime Minister’s comment, Rizvi said the government is trying to implement the power plant project by force ignoring local and international opinions only to appease its foreign master.

He claimed that the country’s 99 percent people are deadly against the Rampal power plant as it will destroy the Sundarbans.

The BNP leader said different countries in the world that had set up coal-based power stations earlier are now abandoning those to save environment.

“Even, this power plant was not allowed to set up in our neighbouring country. But, our Prime Minister is trying to install the power plant to comply with the instruction of the foreign force which is helping her stay in power.”