Farmers’ Fury Flares in Moulvibazar to Save Haor from Solar Project

Farmers in Moulvibazar have launched a movement to protect the haor wetlands from a proposed solar power project. On Sunday afternoon, October 19, a human chain, protest rally, and procession were held on Court Road in the district town in protest of the installation of a solar panel project in the Puber Haor area of Sadar upazila.

Farmers, fishermen, and members of the Haor and Environment Protection Movement demanded the cancellation of the solar power plant project that seeks to convert agricultural land in the haor region and destroy its ecosystem. They called for saving the remaining part of Puber Haor from environmental ruin.

The protest was organized by residents of Athangiri, Mokambari, and Noapara villages—areas dependent on Puber Haor—and supported by the “Haor Protection Movement, Moulvibazar.”

The farmers said, “This Puber Haor is part of our livelihood. About 90 percent of the villagers depend on agriculture. Without the rice grown here, people will face famine. We not only meet our own food demand but also sell rice to other areas. Traders and mill owners from distant regions come here to buy it. Now preparations are nearly complete to stop rice cultivation in this haor. Once that happens, there will be no rice production—neither for sale nor for our own consumption. We will face starvation. Besides rice, farmers around the haor also graze cows and goats. That too is coming to an end.”

They expressed concern that those involved in the haor protection movement were facing “false cases, harassment, and threats” for their activism.

At the protest rally, participants also condemned the initiatives to establish similar solar projects in the Hail and Kawadighi Haor regions.

The human chain and protest rally began around noon in front of the old Shilpakala Academy premises on Court Road. Later, farmers, fishermen, haor activists, and environmentalists joined a protest march through the town.

The rally was presided over by farmer leader Abdul Sobahan and conducted by Haor Protection Movement executive member Md. Shahin Iqbal. Among others, speakers included environmental leader and central executive member of “Dhara” Abdul Karim Kim, Professor Selimuzzaman, convener of the Moulvibazar chapter of Haor Protection Movement A.S.M. Saleh Sohel, member secretary M. Khosru Chowdhury, former vice-chairman of Rajnagar Upazila Parishad Maulana Ahmad Belal, executive member Shamsuddin Master, and local leaders including Alomgir Hossain and Md. Khairul Islam. From the Puber Haor area, speakers included Shamim Ahmed, Maulana Mohsin Ahmed, and Abdul Kaiyum. Also present were NCP leader Ehsan Zakaria and prominent figures from various social and cultural organizations in Moulvibazar.

Voices of Farmers, Fishermen, and Haor Activists
Protesters called for resistance against the 25-megawatt solar power plant being established in Puber Haor by converting agricultural land, despite the availability of alternative sites.

In a press note issued at the end of the rally, leaders of the farmers, fishermen, and haor movements stated:

“Puber Haor, located in Athangiri, Mokambari, and Noapara villages of Ward No. 4, Uttar Kagabala Union under Moulvibazar Sadar upazila, meets the freshwater fish, rice, and crop production needs of around 15,000 local farmers and fishermen. The livelihoods of nearly 2,500 families have long depended on this haor—their only agricultural source of sustenance.”

They added that 100 acres of farmland in Puber Haor had already been converted for the establishment of a 10-megawatt solar power plant under the Moulvibazar Solar PV Park project, resulting in the permanent loss of nearly one-third of the haor’s cultivable land. “The late Finance Minister M. Saifur Rahman had earlier initiated a rubber dam project in 2004–2005 to channel water from the Gopla River into the haor during the dry season to boost agricultural production. But now, the solar project threatens to undo that progress,” they noted.

The statement continued, “We farmers did not realize that such a vast amount of farmland would be wasted. Company representatives previously assured us that there would be no harm to rice or fish cultivation. But those promises have proven false. No rice, freshwater fish, or crops can now be cultivated on the occupied land.”

They further warned, “Even after one-third of the agricultural land has already been rendered unusable, we have heard plans for another 25-megawatt solar project covering the remaining two-thirds of the haor. Alongside it, there are plans for industrial installations that will fill up the haor. This means the destruction of Puber Haor’s agriculture, aquatic plants, and biodiversity. Farmers and fishermen dependent on the haor will lose their livelihoods, and once-prosperous farming families will be forced to buy food year-round.”

“Bangladesh is a small country with limited farmland. Destroying arable land and wetlands for renewable energy projects violates land, environmental, and waterbody protection laws. Such initiatives cannot align with pro-farmer or agricultural policies. It is unclear how environmental and geological clearances were, or could be, granted for such devastation.”

“Therefore, to save the remaining part of Puber Haor—which is vital to our lives and livelihoods—we seek the cooperation of all residents of Moulvibazar. We call upon everyone to stand beside us in the struggle to protect agriculture, farmers, and the haor environment.”

Bachchu Mia, a farmer from Athangiri village, said, “This vast haor is also famous for its tasty fish, and now that too is under threat.”

Village elder Abdus Sobhan Chufai said, “Before our eyes, Puber Haor is being transformed. Companies are setting up projects, and people are building houses in the haor.”

People dependent on the larger Haor and Hail Haor are witnessing the gradual disappearance of fertile croplands and wetlands—the very sources of rice and fish. Environmentalists and biodiversity conservationists have also expressed deep concern.

Earlier, on October 12, farmers and fishermen from Athangiri, Mokambari, and Noagaon areas held a similar protest rally at Puber Haor, attended by leaders of the Haor Movement, Moulvibazar, who listened to the farmers’ grievances firsthand.