Cancel corrupt agreements on mineral resources
Published by MAC on 2007-04-27'Cancel corrupt agreements on mineral resources'
The Daily Star, Dhaka, Bangladesh
27th April 2007
Speakers at a dialogue yesterday urged the caretaker government to cancel all the 'corrupt agreements' concerning oil, gas and mineral resources with foreign companies.
They also demanded action against the persons responsible for such agreements that went against the country's interest.
They also called on the government to safeguard the country's interest while ensuring the optimal use of mineral resources.
The National Committee for Protection of Oil-Gas-Mineral Resources, Power and Port organised the dialogue at Dhaka Reporters' Unity auditorium.
"We demanded necessary steps to curb corruption in the mineral resources sector, but to no avail," said Prof Anu Muhammad, member secretary of the committee.
He also demanded that the Phulbari project of Asia Energy * be cancelled and the company be ousted from the country.
The speakers called on the government to ensure that the people of the country must have 100 percent ownership of mineral resources such as oil, gas and coal.
The mineral resources should be utilised to meet the present and future needs of the people, not for the profit of any companies, they said.
They also called for not taking up any projects harmful to environment.
Nuruddin Mahmud Kamal, former chairman of PDB, demanded action against the officials of energy, power and mineral resources ministry who are responsible for the recent fire incidents at Titas Gas field.
The fire at Titas Gas field has caused a loss of about 150 crore dollars, he said.
Justice Golam Rabbani, former chairman of Petrobangla Dr Hossain Monsur, economist MM Akash and engineer Sheikh Muhammed Shahidullah also spoke.
[*Editorial note: Asia Energy re-registered itself as Global Coal Management late last year]