PSC with US Company
Hasan blasts protesters
State Minister for Forest and Environment Hasan Mahmud yesterday in parliament blasted National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports and its member secretary for protesting signing of a production sharing contract (PSC) with an American oil company.
“They formed the national committee with some street urchins. They are now working in the country as agents of foreigners,” said Hasan Mahmud while discussing the proposed budget for the next fiscal.
On Prof Anu Muhammad, the committee's member secretary and a professor of Economics, he said Anu Muhammad is not a professor of Mineral Resources. What does he know about mineral resources, questioned the minister.
The state minister distorted Anu Muhammad's name several times during the discusion.
In protest against the government's signing the PSC, the committee announced some agitation programmes including a half-day hartal in the capital on July 3.
The national committee termed the deal against interest of the country.
The government on Thursday inked the deal with ConocoPhillips for exploring oil and gas from two deep-sea blocks in the Bay of Bengal.
The US oil company won two deep-sea blocks at an offshore block bidding floated by Petrobangla in 2008.
The PSC allows exploration of the undisputed part of the blocks, covering an area of 5,158 square kilometres. The blocks are located about 280 kilometres from the port city of Chittagong.
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