Environmentalists File UK Complaint Against Barclays Over Coal Plant

Three complainants from the Sundarbans region have filed a formal complaint with the UK government’s Office for Responsible Business Conduct against Barclays Bank. The claimants allege the financial institution breached international guidelines by providing services to entities involved in the Maitree super thermal power project, also known as the Rampal power plant.

The coal-fired station is located near the Pasur River, adjacent to the Sundarbans, a Unesco world heritage site. Complainants argue the plant causes heavy-metal pollution and contributes to global heating in a climate-vulnerable region. Specifically, Barclays is accused of underwriting debt for India's state-owned NTPC Ltd and underwriting bond issues for the Export-Import Bank of India, which provided loans to the project.

Environmental campaigner Sharif Jamil, one of the complainants, stated that the plant is situated on the Pasur River, which he described as the lifeline of the Sundarbans. Jamil noted that other financial institutions had already divested from or declined to finance the project. The Office for Responsible Business Conduct is currently assessing whether to consider the case. Both Barclays and the project's holding company, Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company (Pvt.) Ltd., declined to comment.