The National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports yesterday demanded formulation of a new law to stop export of oil, gas and coal resources to foreign countries or companies.
The leaders of the committee also called for strengthening Petrobangla and Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited (Bapex) for exploring gas, oil and coal in the country.
They placed the demand at the national convention of the committee at the Institution of Engineers in the city.
The leaders announced their three-month programmes starting from November 1 across the country to press their demand.
The programmes include mass campaign, mass oath taking programme, demonstrations, rallies, long march and human chains.
They also threatened to call hartal and blockade programmes across the country if their demands are not fulfilled by this time.
“If the government really wants to preserve the national interests, why does not it formulate a law to stop export of oil, gas, coal and other resources of the country?” questioned Prof Anu Mohammad, member secretary of the organisation.
He said the government needs Tk 1,100 crore to explore gas from the three offshore blocks. It would not be so much difficult for the government to collect. “If the government has keen interest in exploring gas on its own, it will certainly be able to arrange the money,” he said.
Prof Anu placed some demands including ban on export oil, gas, coal and other resource, cancellation of production sharing contracts (PSCs)-2008, formulation of new policy for gas exploration, full implementation of Phulbari contract and punishment to the culprits who attacked the procession of the national committee on September 2.
Presiding over the convention, Engineer Sheikh Muhammad Shahidullah, convener of the committee, said according to the contracts, Bangladesh would actually get 20 percent of the total extracted gas. The government will deserve the right to buy the rest 80 percent of gas. If the government fails to buy the gas, the companies will sale it elsewhere.
“In reality, the government would not be able to set up pipelines from deep sea to the mainland to buy the gas, and the foreign companies would not be bound to pay for piping. So, it is clear that 100 percent of the extracted gas would be exported or trafficked,” he claimed.
Lawmaker Rashed Khan Menon, also president of Bangladesh Workers' Party, said a bill would be placed in the parliament to stop export of oil, gas and coal resources.
Addressing the convention, Prof Serajul Islam Chowdhury underscored the importance of raising mass awareness against the contracts with foreign companies for gas exploration.
Terming the contact a threat to the country's sovereignty, Prof MM Akash called on the people from all walks of life to strengthen the movement to resist the government move to export oil, gas and other mineral resources.
CPB President Manjurul Ahsan Khan, Prof Abu Ahmed and members of the national committee Nur Mohammad, Prof Khan Sarwar Murshid, Col (retd) Kazi Nuruzzaman, among others, attended the convention.