Image: Collected

Dhaka, Bangladesh: The Bangladesh Working Group on Ecology and Development (BWGED) has urged the government to take immediate steps to protect the environment and community livelihoods of Matarbari Island, which is located in the Maheshkhali upazila, Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. In a formal appeal, the Bangladesh Working Group on Ecology and Development (BWGED) has respectfully requested H.E. A. F. Hassan Ariff, Honorable Adviser to the Ministry of Land, to revoke the approval granted to S. Alam Group for acquiring 2,000 acres of land in Matarbari. Copies of this appeal have also been duly submitted to the Ministry of Industries, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and the Office of the District Commissioner, Cox’s Bazar, for their kind information and necessary action.

BWGED’s Member Secretary, Hasan Mehedi, stated, “According to the Article 15(a) of Bangladesh’s Constitution, the government has the responsibility to protect citizens’ fundamental rights. The excessive land acquisition in Matarbari Island not only threatens the environment and community livelihoods but also curtails essential rights. If this continues, we foresee large-scale environmental and social crises in the near future.”

Formerly, multiple government and private entities acquired substantial land in the Matarbari region. Notably, the Coal Power Generation Company Bangladesh Limited (CPGCBL) acquired 1,608 acres for the Matarbari coal-based power plant, 1,427 acres for the CPGCBL-Sembcorp project, and 400 acres for the CPGCBL-Mitsui project. This totals 3,435 acres (approx.) of land already acquired on a large scale, placing immense strain on the area ecosystems.

BWGED further highlighted that the uncontrolled industrial expansion in Matarbari Island is causing severe environmental degradation, threatening local fisheries, forest resources, and protected areas. If this trend continues, it will severely impact biodiversity, local residences, and the fundamental rights of the communities in this coastal region.

Therefore, BWGED strongly calls for the cancellation of S. Alam Group’s 2,000 acres land acquisition approval and, if the acquisition process is already completed, urges the government to return the land to the local communities. BWGED believes that the government's proactive intervention to safeguard local rights and the environment will play a crucial role in preserving the livelihoods and ecosystems of Matarbari’s communities.

See the Press Release Here