DHAKA: National Committee for Protecting the Sunderbans and Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) have rejected the report of the government and UN Joint Mission on oil spill in the world’s largest mangrove forest. 

They also termed the remark that stated in the report ‘short-term environmental impacts of the oil spill seem to be limited’ as unexpected.

The two organizations came up with the assertion in a press conference in city’s Dhaka Reporters Unity auditorium around 11:00 Friday.

National Committee for Protecting the Sunderbans member Sharif Jamil, also joint secretary of BAPA, presented the keynote paper on the program.

The paper stated that the Mission started their work from December 23 last year, after 14 days into the oil tanker capsized in Shela River in the Sundarbans.

So, they presented their report after observing the situation of that time when the chunks of oil mostly has been washed away by tide or collected by people which made the report unacceptable.

Moreover, the authorities divided four sub-teams of total 18 specialists for overall review.

The organizations said that the report is tacitly influenced by government as only two were foreigners among the 18 specialists. 

Columnist and researcher Syed Abul Maksud, general secretary of BAPA Dr M Abdul Matin, also member secretary of National Committee for Protecting the Sunderbans, its member Sheikh Faridul Islam, among others, were present in the program.

In the press conference, the speakers put emphasis on pointing out the reason of accident and measuring the impact of the oil spill through accurate scientific and realistic research and taking steps to overcome the impact.

BDST: 1841 HRS, MAR 06, 2015