The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

A total of 128 teachers of six public universities across the country yesterday called for stopping the leasing out procedure for the exploration of nine marine oil-gas blocks to the multinational companies noting that it would harm the interest of the country.

They said in a joint statement that the present Caretaker Government has no right to lease out the marine oil and gas blocks within October.

They alleged that the incumbent government has prepared model PSC-2008 secretly for leasing out the blocks to the multination companies with a provision to export at least 80 percent of the extracted gas.

They pointed out that the lease out process is being carried out despite writ filed with the High Court against lease.

The signatories include Anisur Rahman and ASM Arefin Siddiqui from the Dhaka University, Mainul Islam and Irshad Zaman Khan from the Chittagong University, Md. Jafar Iqbal and Rezai Karim Khandakar from the Sylhet Shahjalal Science and Technology University, Hasan Azizul Huq and Saidur Rahman Khan from the Rajshahi University, Anu Ahmed from the Jahangirnagar University and M Shamsul Alam from the Chittagong Engineering and Technology University.