Dhaka, Dec. 16 -- A public hearing was held on the banks of the Meghna River in Sonargaon today to protest a proposed fossil-fuel project and to demand protection of environmental justice for marginalized communities.
The event, organized jointly by JetNet BD and the Environment Protection and Development Society, began at 11:00 a.m. at the Meghna Ghat and drew farmers, fishers and local residents who described the hardships they are facing.
Farmers who spoke at the hearing said that industrial waste and pollution have steadily reduced the fertility of their fields. They reported that contaminated water is disrupting irrigation systems and severely lowering crop yields, forcing many to consider changing their livelihoods.
Local fishers c...