The key to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's ideology of reviving the economy of independent Bangladesh was to become self-reliant. The agreement to take over huge reserves of gas from a multinational foreign oil company bears witness to the extent to which he realized the importance of being self-sufficient in energy resources. That ideal of Bangabandhu will be alive in our work, it is desirable for everyone.
The success of Bapex, the national oil and gas exploration company in its natural gas exploration on the island of Bhola off the southern coast of Bangladesh, is a testament to its self-reliance. In 1995, Bapex discovered the Shahbazpur gas field here.
Bapex later conducted a three-dimensional geological survey along the island to explore the possibility of discovering more gas on Bhola Island and identified the location of the new well by analyzing the data from the survey. In 2016, a second gas field 'Bhola North' was discovered by digging a well there. This discovery has taken the employees of the national company one step further towards self-reliance.
It is to be noted here that the current challenge of gas exploration in Bangladesh is to rely on the latest technology in locating wells and to drill exploration wells in designated locations. In the first of these, Bapex's efficiency was proved by the discovery of a second gas field at Bhola.
For this, accurate analysis of data obtained from modern technology i.e. three-dimensional geological survey bears witness to Bapex's technical prowess. And Bapex's efficiency and success in drilling wells has been proved not only in Bhola Island in Bangladesh, but also in the country with the discovery of eight gas fields. For all these reasons Bapex can get inspiration, support and more patronage.
Sadly, none of this has happened to Bapex in the case of Volar gas; Instead of motivation, there is frustration, opposition instead of support and neglect instead of patronage. Failure to allow Bapex to develop its own gas field has led to frustration at Bapex.
Bapex has been virtually removed from the field, and foreign company Gazprom has been invited to do so. A final decision has already been taken at the government level for this purpose. The matter is currently being referred to the Cabinet Committee and will then be sent to the Prime Minister for final approval.
But in spite of having national capacity, manpower and financial capacity, what could be the rationale for bringing in foreign companies to develop their own gas field. Is it that Gazprom will dig the wells at a relatively low cost? But that is not the case. Gazprom will take ২১ 21 million or Rs 160 crore to drill each well, while the national company Bapex will cost Rs 80-90 crore to drill each well.
Or is it that the wells dug by Gazprom are more durable and stronger than the wells dug by others? But that is not the case. Of the number of wells that the company has drilled in the country in the last five years, multiple wells later had technical problems and these problems were solved by Bapex's technical team and the wells were reopened. Gazprom contracts to drill wells, but the company does not drill the wells itself, but hires a Central Asian drilling company to drill the wells. So this company comes to this country just to manage the contract by sitting at the table and signing the contract - the answer to that question is easy to understand.
Foreign companies usually go through a competitive screening process to engage in oil and gas exploration in Bangladesh. However, the agreement with Gazprom was not finalized through a screening process, but was carried out under the Speed for Supply of Power and Energy (Special Provisions) Act. Russia is a friendly country of Bangladesh.
But at the same time, at least two other Russian state oil companies have to go through a competitive screening process with other international companies to join a joint venture gas exploration and development project in the country. What is the reason for such bias towards one of the multiple companies in the same country? For what reasons can a particular company be considered eligible for special benefits? The answer to this question is not easily found.
In 2003, the Chhatak gas field in Sylhet under the National Company was given to the Canadian company Niko through an opaque contract. Niko exploded while digging a well in 2005, causing huge damage to the state by destroying huge amounts of gas and the environment.
Niko was later convicted in a Canadian court and in an international court of corruption in Bangladesh. If the explosion had not happened, Niko would not have had to go to court and the information about Niko's corrupt agents would not have come out. In many cases, unethical agreements remain hidden from public view; The Kushils of his inner court are at ease.
Government administrations often demand that they do everything in their power to help the national company develop a skilled oil and gas exploration experience. But Bapex, the national oil and gas exploration company on the island of Bhola, has begun the process of gas exploration in its own right, which is suicidal.
After discovering two gas fields in Bhola, Bapex, in its geological exploration, expressed the view that there is a strong possibility of more gas in the island and its surrounding areas. Just as the Sylhet region is the richest in gas resources in the country, Bhola and adjoining areas are likely to prove to be the second largest gas-rich region in Bangladesh. In this situation, not allowing Bapex to dig and explore in Bhola would be detrimental to the national interest by hiring foreign companies in exchange for opaque contracts.
In August 1975, Bangabandhu persuaded the internationally renowned British-Dutch oil company Shell Oil to pass on the five large gas fields discovered and operated in Bangladesh to the Titas, Habiganj, Rashidpur, Kailastila and Bakhrabad national companies through a nominal gas purchase agreement. Through this work Bangabandhu taught the nation that the real path to economic liberation is to stand on one's own two feet and build one's own wealth. We cannot deviate from that path in any way.
