Bagerhat: The National Committee to Protect Oil-Gas, Natural Resources and Power-Port on Sunday threatened to go on a tougher movement if all the projects ‘harmful’ to the Sundarbans are not cancelled by May 15.

Prof Anu Mohammad, member secretary of the national committee, came up with the ultimatum while addressing a rally in Katakhali area marking the culmination of the four-day ‘Save the Sundarbans’ long march.

The long march that started from the capital on March 10 in protest against the government’s move to set up a 1320-MW coal-fired power plant at Rampal near the world’s largest mangrove forest ended with the ‘Sundarbans Declaration’.

Anu Mohammad said they will not let the government to implement the coal-based power plant project in the Sundarbans that will ultimately destroy the mangrove forest and affect people’s lives and livelihood. “We together with people will compel the government to cancel the destructive coal-fired power plant.”

He said they will launch a tougher movement, including Dhaka-bound long march, sit-in, gherao, hartal and blockade, if the government does not cancel the power plant project by May 15.

The national committee member secretary also urged the government to hold a public hearing on it.

Earlier on March 10, the National Committee started its four-day long march from the capital towards the Sundarbans to press home their seven-point demand, including cancellation of the government’s move to set up the 1320-MW coal-fired power plant at Rampal in the Sundarbans.

The ‘Save the Sundarbans’ long march reached Katakhali of Bagerhat by Khulna-Mongla road on Sunday afternoon.

Earlier, a rally was held at the Shaheed Miar of the district town at noon. Ranjit Chattopadhay, convener of the Bagerhat unit of the national committee, presided over the meeting.

Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) central leader Comrade Ruhin Hossain Prince, Workers’ Party central leader Bimal Biswas, Basad leader Bazlur Rashid Firoz also spoke at the rally.

UNB/RI