?> A Call for Global Day of Solidarity for the Sundarbans « NCBD – National Committee of Bangladesh

Tuesday, November 6th, 2018

A Call for Global Day of Solidarity for the Sundarbans

The Sundarbans- the largest single tract mangrove forest, extraordinarily rich in biodiversity, a Ramsar Site, the UNESCO-declared World Heritage site is now in grave danger. The Rampal coal fired power plant, now under construction, and many other commercial projects in and around the forest are going to destroy unique biodiversity and extra-ordinary eco-system. The joint project of PDB (Bangladesh) and NTPC (India) for 1320 MW Rampal coal-fired power plant has therefore become a deadly threat for the survival of Sundarban. In addition, it is inviting a range of national and international vested interest groups to grab forest and set up hundreds of commercial projects in and around the Sundarbans. This has not only put the livelihood of at least 3.5 million people at risk, it has made the lives of around 40 million coastal people vulnerable to natural disasters as the Sundarbans have also been a huge natural safe guard against frequent cyclone, storm and other natural disasters in the country. Bangladesh is one othe most vulnerable country facing climate change. Sundarban is the natural safeguard against deadly threat of climate change for Bangladesh. The Sundarbans, to preserve its outstanding universal value, now demand global public action for its survival.

We hope you are aware of our 8 years long peoples movement for the cancellation of this Rampal Power plant, many friends from around the world have already expressed their solidarity for the campaign to save Sundarbans. Now it is urgent to consolidate public opinion around the world to make the resistance global. We believe the observance of a global day would strengthen our unity, uphold our common spirit, and take our struggle to a new level to protect the mother-nature from the disastrous profit hungry projects and also from threat of climate change. We believe that the global solidarity would also open up the opportunity to createworldwide awareness for environment and ecology-friendly power generations and sustainable development that put people and environment before corporate profit.

We hope that our fellow activists, environmental groups, political parties around the world would join our cause by expressing solidarity and taking up various forms of activities and action programs on that day. In this respect, we would like to appeal you to consider either of the following:

 Staging demonstrations/human chain,

 Sending written appeals to the embassies of Bangladesh and India,

 Cycle rally, boat rally, theatre, songs, cartoons, masks,

 Appeal to United Nation,

 Campaigning to International Press/Media,

 Sending us your protest/solidarity video messages,

We welcome any other effort or ideas from your part.

Let us raise our voice together on November 10, 2018 in different parts of the world to save the Sundarbans and to make a step forward to save our mother earth from projects of mass destruction. We look forward to your participation and hope that our common struggle would further bind us together, and contribute to a stronger global movement for upholding public interest.

Contact mail: mowdudur@gmail.com, mahtabjuniv@gmail.com

Click to download A Call for Global Day of Solidarity for the Sundarbans (pdf)