India eyes B’desh energy resources

ET Report

Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee said, Indian policy towards Bangladesh is changing. In fact, right time and environment is required to improve relations between the two countries.He refrained from explaining the state of just time and environment while holding talks with a group of journalists last week at the Syed Nausher Ali Hall of Bidhan Shabha in Kolkata. It was, however, the first time that he did not raise old complaints again. While Bangladeshi journalists expressed the opinion that exploration of oil and gas in Bangladesh will face setback due to objections raised by India regarding demarcation of maritime boundary he simply said, we are trying to finish the maritime demarcation work promptly.He put emphasis on setting rail link over Bangladesh to other side of India and building energy cooperation between the two countries.West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee , who is know for his claiming existence of terrorist camp in Bangladesh, was present in the same meeting. He kept complaints hidden and said, the two countries need to be saved from unnecessary doubts. India needs some resources from Bangladesh and Bangladesh also needs some resources from India. We should use the resources through joint programmes.Responding to a question by a senior journalist as to whether 'some resources' in Bangladesh include coal and gas he said West Bengal needs several thousands mw electricity, but it has no scope of coal production. We want to utilise the huge coal from Dinajpur in Bangladesh. It would be more comfortable to get coal from Bangladesh than that from China or Indonesia. The proposal of Tata remains pending. Besides, we want to use gas. It is, therefore, there is a link between the dispute over maritime line and the joint use of Bangladeshi resources.It may be mentioned that there is a similarity between the versions of the anti-oil, gas, coal exploration campaigners in Bangladesh and Indian objections. Many people know it but do not express. The persons involved in anti-mining campaign in Bangladesh have close relations with the CPI (M) government in West Bengal. Those who are active in anti-mining campaigns in Dinajpur maintain close contacts with a section of leftist leaders in West Bengal.

Weekly Economic Times,Bangladesh

Date:06/07/08

Link:http://www.weeklyeconomictimes.com/news-details.php?recordID=1300