Dispute with India: Decision on hydrocarbon exploration unlikely According to the sources, Bangladesh took the new stance in response to an Indian request made recently. The government is unlikely to make any decision on 3rd round international gas block bidding before settling dispute with neighbouring India, sources at the Power and Energy Ministry have said.Bangladesh has a number of gas blocks in its territory where both neighbouring India and Myanmar are also claiming their possession. (UNB) According to the sources, Bangladesh took the new stance in response to an Indian request made recently. There is an UN body to deal with such matters. As per provision, Bangladesh has to make its submission by 2011 while India has to submit claim by June 2009. Myanmar has already submitted its claim to the UN body. However, none of India and Myanmar stopped exploration in the disputed territories, while Bangladesh is yet to start its exploration works. As Bangladesh have been facing severe energy crisis, the immediate past caretaker government last year invited international bids for hydrocarbon exploration in the country's maritime boundary. Two international companies-US-based Conoco Philip and the Irish Tullow-were selected for a total of nine offshore and deep sea blocks. But the caretaker government could not take the final decision on the issue and the contract awarding process has been left for the next government. The matter remains pending with the Awami League government since its assumption of office in January through a general election. Sources said the Energy Division of the Power and Energy Ministry recently made a move to get the final approval of the government's highest policymakers. They prepared a fresh executive summary on the issue to place it to the Prime Minister's Office. But surprisingly, halfway in the process, the file movement got suspended following instructions from the high-level policymakers. A senior official of the Energy Division said they don't exactly know why the file movement was stopped. "We can simply say, we had been verbally asked not to proceed further right now and take a go-slow position." When contacted, State Minister for Power and Energy Shamsul Haque Tuku denied the information that the decision making process on 3rd round bidding had been suspended on Indian request. "Whatever decision we will make, it will be to protect the country's own interest. There is no other question," he told UNB. About the 3rd round bidding, Prime Minister's Advisor Taufiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury recently told media that the government was studying international deals before going to sign any agreements with any foreign companies. "That's why the decision making process is being delayed," he had said. http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2009/05/09/news0730.htm |
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