Barclays Bank is facing a formal complaint regarding its financial involvement with a coal-fired power plant near the Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest spanning Bangladesh and India. Three individuals from the region have submitted the complaint to the UK government’s Office for Responsible Business Conduct, claiming that Barclays violated international standards by underwriting companies linked to the Maitree super thermal power project, also called the Rampal power plant.
The Rampal facility is located near the Sundarbans, a UNESCO World Heritage site comprising more than 100 islands in a river delta that supports diverse plant and animal species, including the Bengal tiger. Environmental activists and local residents have expressed concerns about pollution from the power station, which they say threatens the health of the mangroves and surrounding waterways.
Sharif Jamil, an environmental campaigner from Dhaka and one of the complainants, highlighted the proximity of the plant to the Pasur River, a critical lifeline for the Sundarbans ecosystem. He warned that pollutants, including heavy metals, are entering the forests through interconnected rivers and canals, endangering both the environment and the millions of people who rely on the area for food and resources.
A study published last November recorded elevated mercury and arsenic levels in water samples from the Sundarbans, with the highest contamination found in the Pasur River. Researchers attributed the heavy-metal pollution to industrial discharge and port activities, emphasizing that emissions from the Rampal power plant, along with increased ship traffic, pose a significant environmental hazard.
The complainants argue that Barclays did not undertake adequate due diligence concerning environmental and human rights risks before offering financial services to entities involved in the project. The bank reportedly underwrote debt for NTPC Ltd, India’s state-owned energy company and a joint venture partner in the Rampal project, according to King’s Legal Clinic, which is assisting the complainants. Barclays is also said to have underwritten bond issues for the Export-Import Bank of India between 2016 and 2019, facilitating loans for the power station.
Opponents of the project note its potential to exacerbate climate change impacts in an already vulnerable region, including rising sea levels and extreme weather events. Mangroves serve as a natural buffer against cyclones and other natural disasters, and their degradation could increase local risks. UNESCO expressed concern about the project in 2016, warning that pollution from the plant could cause irreversible damage to the World Heritage site. Some financial institutions, including several French banks, declined to participate in funding the power plant due to its environmental and social implications.
Jamil urged Barclays to acknowledge its international standing and the accompanying responsibility to act sustainably. He pointed out that other banks have withdrawn from or refused to finance the project, calling on Barclays and similar organizations to reconsider their policies and prioritize renewable energy investments over fossil fuels. He emphasized Bangladesh’s potential for solar power, citing the country’s abundant year-round sunlight.
The other complainants include Animesh Mandal, a farmer and politician, and the Dakshinbanga Matsyajibi Forum, a trade union representing fish workers in West Bengal. Their case is supported by King’s Human Rights and Environment Clinic at King’s College London.
Sue Willman, a solicitor at the clinic, said rural communities in the Sundarbans are disproportionately impacted by the climate and environmental crises and expressed hope that the complaint would encourage financial institutions to reconsider backing fossil fuel projects.
The Office for Responsible Business Conduct, part of the UK Department for Business and Trade, will determine whether to proceed with an investigation. Barclays Bank and Bangladesh India Friendship Power Company Ltd (BIFPCL), the holding company for the Rampal project, declined to comment.