The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

With a view to accelerating the process of extracting coal by awarding contract to a foreign company, present gas crisis has been created artificially, said energy experts yesterday.

"Whatever the conspiracy has been hatched, the country's people will resist it at any cost," they said.

Energy expert Dr Badrul Imam said that Bangladesh's control over its coal resources would have to maintain, if necessary, by imposing conditions, keeping control and supervison over the foreign companies. Otherwise, Bangladesh will have to face a disastrous situation regarding its energy requirements in future.

He said excessive dependence on foreign companies for exploration of oil, gas and coal resources might be devastating.

"Only a couple of years ago the previous government took initiatives to export gas though it could not be materialised because of the strong resistance of the country's people," he said.

Dr Imam said it is necessary to extract coal for resolving the present energy crisis. But, no well-planned initiatives are visible to extract coal. Though the Draft Coal Policy was presented to the government in December last year after several amendments, no initiative has been taken to approve it.

Dr Aftab Alam Khan said Bangladesh would deprive of food worth US$37 billion if extraction of coal is done in open-pit system in Barapukuria and Phulbari Coal Mine Projects.

He urged the country to tap its resources carefully avoiding losses of life and harming the agriculture.

Organiser of Phulbari Movement Aminul Islam Badal said efforts are being made to win the hearts of the people of Phulbari in Dinajpur with a view to extract coal there in open-pit system. "Perhaps, it is the worst kind of corruption by a foreign company," he said.

They said the country has already suffered a setback trying to mine coal in the northern Phulbari area, where Asia Energy had to halt activities two years ago after violent protests and blood sheds by local residents and environmentalists. The project would displace at least 40,000 villagers and severely damage the environment.

Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique of Dhaka University urged the government not to go ahead with similar projects. "You should hear the voices of people, not of the foreigners and their appointed people in Bangladesh," he said pointing to the government adding, "People of Bangladesh will protect its resources at any cost."