US ambassador's removal demanded
Dhaka, Dec 30 (bdnews24.com)—A citizen's platform has called for
removal of US ambassador to Bangladesh, James F Moriarty. It also
urged the government to declare him 'unwanted'.
The group claimed that the ambassador was a lobbyist of foreign
companies eyeing the country's oil and gas sector.
The National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power
and Ports made the demand on Thursday, at a press conference held at
Mukti Bhaban, at Paltan, Dhaka.
The committee secretary Anu Mohammad said, as disclosed in WikiLeaks
cables, the US ambassador was pressurising prime minister's energy
advisor Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury to permit Asia Energy for open-pit
coal mining in Phulbari.
The Phulbari open-pit excavation was halted following a violent
protest in 2006 that killed three people.
The cables also revealed Moriarty held talks with Chowdhury last year
and urged him to approve British company Global Coal Management (GCM)
to begin open-cast coal mining, the Guardian newspaper of UK reported
based on WikiLeaks cables.
"He repeatedly put pressure on Bangladesh government to give the lease
of the gas blocks to ConocoPhillips Company through export oriented
agreement. He also put pressure to permit Chevron to buy old
compressor machines and instruments in a high price. These US
companies have been given advantages as per his directives," said the
Guardian report.
Anu Mohammad called those, who were involved in controversial oil-gas
agreement, etc. as oil-gas-coal criminals. He suggested trying them as
criminals.
The committee also demanded release of detained garments workers
leader Moshrefa Mishu.
It announced a countrywide procession on Jan 5 next year and also a
protest meeting and procession at Muktangoan in Dhaka at around 3pm
the same day.
Additional programmes include meeting at the divisional towns and
countrywide foot march from Jan 10 to Jan 30. Other members of the
committee were also present at the conference.
http://www.bdnews24.com/details.php?id=183039&cid=2
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