The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Energy experts at a discussion expressed deep concern over policy of Bangladesh on securing its maritime resources in the Bay of Bengal.

They urged the coming government to move rapidly to resolve disputes with India and Myanmar on maritime boundary.

Liberty Movement, a civil liberty organisation, organised the discussion at the National Press Club in the city yesterday.

Rita Rahman presented the keynote paper while former Energy Adviser Mahmudur Rahman, New Nation Editor Mostafa Kamal Majumder, BUET Prof Nurul Islam, Prof Ijaz Hossain, Journalist Abu Rushd and Faruque Ahmed, among others, addressed the function.

Shahidul Islam Khan, Director of Center for Energy Studies, moderated it.

The experts said only 4-5 months remains to stake claim of Bangladesh' territorial waters to the United Nations as per the new amendment of the UNCLOSS resolution.

"If we cannot complete our preparation in time, we may fail to establish our right in our own maritime boundary", they added.

Mentioning 55 and 25 percent uses of gas for generating electricity and producing fertilizer respectively, Mahmudur Rahman urged to change natural gas consumption pattern giving priority in the industrial sector.

He also said the new government should take steps on this issue beyond any political consideration but national interest especially on tri-nation gas-pipeline issue.

Mostafa Kamal Majumder said that it should arrange programme jointly by Bangladesh and neighbor country's energy experts in the capital of these countries for establishing contacts among them and finding proper consequence.

Speakers urged policy makers to resolve the matter mentioning a caution that war in Afghan, Iraq and Africa was happened for energy resources.