Economic Reporter :
Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, the Prime Minister’s Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Affairs Adviser, on Saturday urged local entrepreneurs to come forward with investment for oil and gas exploration in the country’s deep sea area.
“We are now working with some foreign companies for oil and gas exploration. Local entrepreneurs can work in this area. The government will give them all cooperation,” said the adviser while speaking as chief guest at a seminar “New Investment Horizon: Blue Economy”.
Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) organized the seminar with its President Hossain Khaled in the chair. Secretary of the Maritime Affairs Unit of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rear Admiral (Retd) Md Khurshed Alam and U.S. Ambassador in Bangladesh Marcia Stephens Bloom Bernicat, former President AmCham Aftabul Islam, former President of DCCI Rashed Maksud Khan and Shahjahan Khan and DCCI senior Vice-President Humayun Rashid, among others, spoke at the seminar.
Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury said price of oil is now experiencing downward trend in the international market. So, oil exploration in a broader way at this time will not be viable, though the government is ready to give contract for deep sea exploration, he added.
He said the government is planning to import gas from Myanmar and set up power plants in Chittagong region. Bangladesh is the largest user of solar home system, he said, adding that the government has established Power and Energy Research Council (PERC) for conducting research and development works aiming to create skilled manpower.
About the domestic usage of gas, Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury said the government is planning to distribute liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to domestic users through the existing pipeline network as gas is not abundant at all.
US Ambassador Marcia Stephens Bloom Bernicat said the oceans are at risk now because of overfishing, marine pollution and global climate change. Overcoming those challenges and sustainably developing marine resources are key to global economic growth going forward, she said, adding that Bangladesh has already taken steps to overcome the challenges of overfishing, marine pollution and global climate change.
“Your country is working to ensure that the Bay of Bengal’s marine life is healthy – by establishing its first marine protected area, the Swatch of No Ground, a habitat for endangered whales, dolphins, and a wide variety of other marine life, in 2014,” she said.
“You have also taken steps to ensure the hilsa – the iconic national fish of Bangladesh – is protected as it moves through inland waterways during its spawning season – when the hilsa population is most vulnerable to overfishing,” Bernicat added.
Rear Admiral (Retd) Md Khurshed Alam said Bangladesh’s total maritime boundary is about 81 percent of the total land area which is really big. He stressed for skilled work force to tap the potentials of blue economy. He also said government has instructed universities in Bangladesh to teach Oceanography in order to create skilled manpower and do research works.
Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, the Prime Minister’s Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Affairs Adviser, on Saturday urged local entrepreneurs to come forward with investment for oil and gas exploration in the country’s deep sea area.
“We are now working with some foreign companies for oil and gas exploration. Local entrepreneurs can work in this area. The government will give them all cooperation,” said the adviser while speaking as chief guest at a seminar “New Investment Horizon: Blue Economy”.
Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) organized the seminar with its President Hossain Khaled in the chair. Secretary of the Maritime Affairs Unit of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rear Admiral (Retd) Md Khurshed Alam and U.S. Ambassador in Bangladesh Marcia Stephens Bloom Bernicat, former President AmCham Aftabul Islam, former President of DCCI Rashed Maksud Khan and Shahjahan Khan and DCCI senior Vice-President Humayun Rashid, among others, spoke at the seminar.
Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury said price of oil is now experiencing downward trend in the international market. So, oil exploration in a broader way at this time will not be viable, though the government is ready to give contract for deep sea exploration, he added.
He said the government is planning to import gas from Myanmar and set up power plants in Chittagong region. Bangladesh is the largest user of solar home system, he said, adding that the government has established Power and Energy Research Council (PERC) for conducting research and development works aiming to create skilled manpower.
About the domestic usage of gas, Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury said the government is planning to distribute liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to domestic users through the existing pipeline network as gas is not abundant at all.
US Ambassador Marcia Stephens Bloom Bernicat said the oceans are at risk now because of overfishing, marine pollution and global climate change. Overcoming those challenges and sustainably developing marine resources are key to global economic growth going forward, she said, adding that Bangladesh has already taken steps to overcome the challenges of overfishing, marine pollution and global climate change.
“Your country is working to ensure that the Bay of Bengal’s marine life is healthy – by establishing its first marine protected area, the Swatch of No Ground, a habitat for endangered whales, dolphins, and a wide variety of other marine life, in 2014,” she said.
“You have also taken steps to ensure the hilsa – the iconic national fish of Bangladesh – is protected as it moves through inland waterways during its spawning season – when the hilsa population is most vulnerable to overfishing,” Bernicat added.
Rear Admiral (Retd) Md Khurshed Alam said Bangladesh’s total maritime boundary is about 81 percent of the total land area which is really big. He stressed for skilled work force to tap the potentials of blue economy. He also said government has instructed universities in Bangladesh to teach Oceanography in order to create skilled manpower and do research works.
