The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

National Committee to Protect Oil-Gas, Mineral Resources and Power-Port yesterday asserted that the nation would not accept any amendment to the coal policy for protecting the interests of Asia Energy.

Expressing deep concern about the recent remarks of Chief Adviser's Special Assistant for Energy Affairs Dr M Tamim for reconsidering the coal policy, leaders of the National Committee said the nation would not accept any move to loot the country's coal resources and protect the interests of Asia Energy.

"Any amendment to the proposed coal policy for implementing the Phulbari Coal Project through Asia Energy will not be acceptable to the country's people as the company has already been rejected by the people," they said at a meeting held yesterday.

The meeting demanded of the government to ensure 100 per cent rights of people in the coal policy and exracting coal through any national agency, instead of a foreign one.

The meeting also expressed great satisfaction over the non-renewal of environmen clearance of Asia Energy on the ground of its failure to fulfill the requirements.

It observed that the expert committee earlier termed the development plan of Asia Energy as illegal. The committee also escribed the Asia Energy's project as contrary to the nation's interests.

"There is no legal basis of the activities of Asia Energy although the company presented a disastrous project as a development project spreading corruption in the entire North Bengal," the meeting said and demanding of the government to expel Asia Energy from the country and taking necessary punitive measures against its corruption.

With National Committee convener Engr Sheikh Muhammad Shahidullah in the chair, the meeting was held at the organisation's Green Road office in the city.

The meeting was addressed by National Committee's member secretary Prof Anu Muhammad, Prof Akmal Hossain, Dr Shamsul Alam, Noor Mohammad, Morshed Ali of CPB, Ruhin Hossain Prince, Workers Party's Nurul Hasan, Tipu Biswas and Nazrul Islam of Jatiya Gano Front, Saiful Huq of Workers Party, Ismail Hossain of NAP, Advocate Abdus Salam of Mazdur Party, Junayed Saki and Taslima Aktar of Gano Sanghati, M Enamul Huq, Enamul Latif and Mehedi Hasan of Bhasani Parishad.