Even before the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) was done, 1,834 acres of land was acquired for the project. The land was mostly agricultural and for shrimp aquaculture pond (gher). The people of that locality solely depend on the agriculture and shrimp culture for their livelihood. So, people do not want to give their land for the project. The land acquisition was forcefully done by the government without the consent of the people [3]. The activists pointed out that the contract for the power plant is non-transparent and unequal many alleged that Indian government will be more beneficial than the Bangladesh. This is also one line of protest among the Bangladeshi people that Bangladeshi Government is sacrificing its people’s interest [3, 4] Also, different studies have observed that the project would severely affect the natural habitat of Sundarbans. Many scholarly studies found the proposed coal fired power plant as the destroyer of the largest forest in Bangladesh [3, 5]. The project is objected by people from different corner of both India and Bangladesh. In September 2013, many people from Bangladesh under the banner “National Committee on Protection of Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports” organized a long march to protest the construction of the thermal power plant [2].

UPDATE July2016: Despite the long protest march earlier this year to stop the Rampal coal plant, and protecting the Sundarbans forest, on July 12 2016 a contract was signed to finally install the plant. Since then, the protests have started again in Bangladesh. 

UPDATE 2017. In August 2017, a two-day conference titled Sundarbans Solidarity Action Networking and Green Energy Solutions for Bangladesh was organized in Berlin, Germany. It was organised by National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports in Bangladesh (NCBD), European Network and was attended by  professors from universities with various international environmental organisation’s representative, specialists from Bangladesh, and Bangladeshi researchers, students and professionals from European Countries. More than one hundred- environment, nature and biodiversity based organisations such as Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, 350.org., World Wild Foundation (WWF), Women Engage for the Common Future, Bank Truck etc. expressed their solidarity with the declaration of this Berlin conference to save Sundarbans and to promote renewable energy in Bangladesh. http://www.dailyfinland.fi/worldwide/1915/Cancellation-of-power-plant-demanded-to-protect-Sundarbans

 In India too, there have been protests and mobilizations against the construction of the thermal power plant in Rampal in different parts of the country. However, the strongest anti-Rampal Solidarity Network in India is in West Bengal, which will have a direct impact because the Sundarbans are a continuous stretch of mangrove forest, with 40% of it falling on Indian ground. In October 2017, during the 5th National Coal and Thermal Power Gathering in Dhanbad, Jharkhand, activists from West Bengal stressed the importance of Sundarbans as a shield against cyclones, and a source of subsistence for the local communities on both sides of the border.  Ironically, all the major players involved in the development of the Rampal project are Indian government-owned entities. 

The proposed power plant will use about 4.75 million tonnes of coal annually. It will generate about 0.3 million tonnes ashes and around 0.5 million tonnes sludge and liquid waste. It would also emit a good amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) [5]

However the government sources claimed that the power plant will use modern technology so that pollution level can be minimized. Also the plant authorities ensured the protection of the mangrove forest and environmental management [2].

The plant is promoted by the Indian government-owned NTPC Ltd. The loan component of the plant is set to be provided by the Indian EXIM Bank. The main order for the construction of the plant was reported to be given to BHEL, again owned by the Indian government. http://www.huffingtonpost.in/jai-sharda/the-indiabangladesh-rampa_b_10625552.html