Oil, gas protection body call half-day hartal on Sept 14

Hartal callers trying to harm country: Ashraf

UNB, Dhaka

A half-day hartal has been called in Dhaka City on September 14 (Monday) by National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports to press for scrapping the government decision to lease out offshore gas blocks to foreign companies.
Committee convenor Eng Sheikh Mohammad Shahidullah, who was leading a street march towards the Prime Minister's office this afternoon, announced the 6 am-12 noon shutdown from a peaceful rally near Shishu Park at Shahbagh after police intercepted the protestors. On September 14, the Committee will lay siege to TNO and DC offices across the country to press for their demands.
Shahidullah said the Committee will call a national convention after the Eid-ul-Fitr to announce its next action programme.
The Committee earlier began the street march from Muktangan at 12:30pm raising slogans against the leasing out of the offshore blocks and export of natural gas. Helmeted police stopped the marchers near Shishu Park where the protestors staged peaceful demonstration for sometime.
bdnews24.com, adds: Government spokesman Syed Ashraful Islam on Thursday said those who called hartal on Sep 14 on the excuse of protecting the country are instead trying to harm the country.
This will be the first general strike since the Awami League-led coalition government took office in January.
Ashraf, the local government minister, said, "The government is doing everything in a transparency manner. The government's initiative to explore gas and oil is to meet the country's demand, not to export, not to provide anyone with any extra facility."
Patience should be exercised by all sides, he said.
"Awami League could not come to power in 2001 as it had the policy for export oil and gas keeping a reserve for 50 years. The party still has the same stand," the AL general secretary said.
About the sample production-sharing contract, Model PSC 2008, he said: "As for now the PSC will be in force with the prevailing rules. However, the issues will be reformed and modified later in the new contract."