'No harmful deal with foreign cos on offshore drilling'
Oil, gas protection committee holds protest programmes in districts, demands Dr Tamim's removal
National Oil, Gas Protection Committee forms a human chain in front of Dinajpur Press Club yesterday demanding cancellation of a proposal to lease offshore blocks to multinational companies for drilling.Photo: STAR
Leaders of National Oil, Gas, Power Mineral Resources and Port Protection Committee yesterday held protest meetings and formed human chains indifferent districts opposing leasing of offshore oil and gas blocks to the multi-national companies, our correspondent reported. Our Dinajpur correspondent reports: Demanding cancellation of a proposed deal with multinational company, Md Mosaddeque Hossain Labu, Convener of Phulbari unit of National Oil, Gas, Power Mineral Resources and Port Protection Committee, submitted a memorandum to the chief adviser of the present caretaker government through the Phulbari upazila nirbahi officer. The government should seek people's opinion before taking any decision of their assets including the underground coal and offshore oil and gas because people are owner of the national assets according to the constitution, leaders of the committee said. Earlier, Dinajpur unit leaders of the committee held a human chain in front of Dinajpur Press Club opposing leasing out of offshore oil and gas blocks to any multinational company. In Rangpur, the committee unit brought out a procession in the town yesterday to press home its six-point demand, reports our correspondent. The leaders of the committee handed over to the deputy commissioner a memorandum for the chief advisor. They demanded that the caretaker government refrain from leasing out oil and gas to multinational companies. They urged the caretaker government to terminate Dr Tamim, the chief advisor's special assistant for energy for his favouritism to multinational companies. They also demanded inclusion of BAPEX with all endeavours of the foreign companies in finding out oil and gas in new blocks in the country. Our Barisal correspondent adds: A human chain programme was observed in front of Ashwini Kumar Hall in Barisal yesterday demanding protection of natural and national resources and immediate removal of Dr M Tamim from government post. Barisal unit of National Committee for Protection of Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Electricity and Ports, organised this programme. Leaders of committee and representatives from different socio-political-cultural-professional-human and rights groups and NGOs attended the programme. The participants termed Dr M Tamim as 'agent' of the imperialist and multinational companies engaged in looting natural and national resources. They also demanded controlling price hike of essential commodities and introducing countrywide rationing system. They urged supply of natural gas from Shahbazpur Gas field of Bhola to Barisal for domestic and industrial uses. Our Brahmanbaria correspondent reports: Brahmanbaria unit of Oil, Gas, Power, Port and Minaral Resources Protection Committee formed a human chain in front of Brahmanbaria Press Club yesterday to protest the government's move to deal sign with multinational companies about leasing out sea bed for exploration of gas and oil. Among others, Ali Akbar Mazumder, district vice-president of Sachetan Nagarik Committee; Shahriar Muhammad Firuj, secretary of district Workers' Party, Sajidul Islam, president of district CPB, advocate Akter Hossain Sayed, president of district JSD, Md Jaoadul Hossain, president of district Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, Md Abnur Noor, convener of Sammilita Sangskritik Jote, Fazilatun Nessa, Zila Nari Mukti Sangsad, Md Masud Ahmed, president of Jubo Moitri attended the programme. Committee also submitted a memorandum to the chief advisor through the deputy commissioner.
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