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Joint survey on gas reserve demanded |
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August 27, 2000
Dhaka (UNB) – FBCCI vice-president MA Mumin yesterday demanded a joint survey by Petrobangla and an internationally reputed organisation, preferably non-American one, for a realistic assessment of the country’s gas reserve. “The estimate of US Geological Survey (USGS) will remain questionable as the US-based oil companies are dominating the natural gas sector here …… a joint survey would be more realistic,” he said. MA Mumin, a former president of Sylhet Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and chamber leaders of Sylhet division were exchanging views with newsmen at a local hotel. Development issues of greater Sylhet region also up at the meeting. USGS estimated 33.58 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of undiscovered natural gas in Bangladesh. As per their initial assessment the reserve may go up to 69 TCF or decline to 9 TCF. The USGS study is said to be aimed at finding a scientifically based estimate of Bangladesh's natural gas potential that could serve as the basis for the country to make policy decisions, including export of gas. The FBCCI vice president appreciated the government’s decision to export gas keeping 50 years’ reserve for domestic requirement despite repeated pressure from the international oil companies operating in Bangladesh and other influential lobbies. He said the idea of gas export through pipeline was evolved targeting market in the northeastern states of India mainly to set up gas-based industry. “The Indian entrepreneurs can well set up gas-based industry in Bangladesh territory and take the products to their country,” he said. “It will bring a revolutionary industrial change in the country.” Bangladesh's experts believe export of gas will not be economically viable for the country having 10.2 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas reserve. US oil companies working in Bangladesh say the country has more than 40 TCF of economically recoverable gas. Mumin said the huge trade imbalance between Bangladesh and India can be reduced if Indian entrepreneurs set up gas-based industries here. Bangladesh imports goods worth over US$1 billion from India annually against its exports of around US$60 million. “We can’t sell our products in India due to high tariff and non-tariff barriers,” he said adding that the issue of allowing duty-free access of 25 Bangladeshi items to India made no headway in last one and a half years. Sylhet Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Safwan Chowdhury said Indian businessmen are to take permission from their central government to open L/C for importing goods from Bangladesh. Business leaders of Sylhet region alleged that the gas supplied to the private power generators is more expensive than gas-based PDB plants. They demanded same price for both PDB and private consumers as the private generators produced power for industrial use. They also demanded a levy of 5 percent on earning from gas recovered from the areas for development of those regions. Other demands included one direct flight to UK once a week to facilitate export of perishable commodities, early implementation of Bhairab Bridge and Dhaka-Sylhet-Tamabil road, setting up of head office of a NCB in Sylhet, establishment of Sylhet Divisional Development Authority, setting up of one Bangladesh Visa Office at Silchar in Assam and UK and Indian visa offices in Sylhet. Sunamganj Chamber president Omkar Nath Roy, Habiganj Chamber president Shahabuddin Ahmed and other chamber leaders of the region were present. |