NTPC is part of a the Bangladesh India Friendship Power Company leading plans for the Rampal power plant. The  project will cause irreparable damage to the livelihoods of two million inhabitants living in and around the Sundarbans and depending wholly or partly on the forest for subsistence.

Back in 2014, NTPC had one block facing opposition from communities - Pakri Barwadih.    

Overall too, NTPC has had a bad record of managing its ash. As per the report of CEA of 2014-15, 17 plants of NTPC generated 59 million tons of ash, but could utilise only 39%. This is when the regulations require coal fired plants to ensure 100% utilisation of ash. Additionally, NTPC has been illegally disposing of waste water several times, as shown in the study Impacts of Coastal Coal Based Thermal Power Plants on Water Report dating from October 2014.

The serious destructive impacts the Rampal plant will bring to the Sundarbans has already pushed some major institutions to avoid the project. Three large French banks have already publicly precluded investments in Rampal. Similarly, the Norwegian Government Pension Fund Global (GPFG) excluded NTPC from their investment portfolio on recommendation of its Council of Ethics, stating "there is an unacceptable risk that NTPC will contribute to severe environmental damage through the building and operation of the power plant at Rampal, including related transportation services". 

NTPC is at the center of many human rights violation cases, most notably mercury poisoning that killed thousands of children and left many invalid. NTPC also displaces communities in violent, deceiving and corruption laden precess.

In fact-finding missions by both South Asians for Human Rights and Transparency International Bangladesh, instances of forced displacement, corruption and human rights violation were reported in connection with the construction of the Rampal plant. There continues to be intense and ongoing local and national opposition to the project, resulting in construction delays.     

Power plants are often placed in rural areas. In rural communities, women are the main agents for ensuring long-term survival and bondage of a family. As the livelihood or home of a family gets threatened, women become the first victims to suffer and struggle to keep their families go on.  

NTPC has often been invovled is issues of corruption in India and when working on power projects abroad, like in Sri Lanka. Since April 2016, NTPC, along with other power companies, are being investigated for over-invoicing coal imports.