International
Bangladesh court rules against gas export for 3 months
By Haroon Habib
DHAKA, DEC. 6. A High Court division of the Bangladesh Supreme Court has restrained the Government from signing any more Production Sharing Contacts (PSC) and exporting natural gas for three months in violation of the terms of the PSCs signed earlier.
In a significant injunction, the High Court on Wednesday asked the Government departments to show cause as to why they should not be directed to evolve and formulate a national strategy through Parliament, ensuring appropriate ``participating interest'' for the same in the future PSCs prior to leasing out the remaining 15 blocks. The court instruction is likely to delay the Khaleda Zia Government's decision to export gas to India in line with the pipeline proposal put forward by the U.S. oil Company UNOCAL. The gas export issue is making the new administration controversial. One of the reasons is that it had opposed the export when its arch rival the Awami League was ruling the country.
The injunction was issued on a writ petition filed by the former secretary, Mr. Shah Abdul Hannan, and others. The petition said though the PSCs signed with foreign oil companies had no provision to export gas through pipeline, the Government was preparing to export gas to India.
The petition also mentioned about a memorandum of understanding signed by the UNOCAL recently to supply gas to West Bengal. Meanwhile, the Left parties, who seemed more serious against the gas export, protested against the remarks of the Finance Minister, Mr. Saifur Rahman, in Delhi on the Government's willingness to export gas.
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