National committee to hold countrywide rally on Nov 4 demanding trial of ‘energy criminals’

National Committee to Protect Oil-Gas, Mineral Resources and Power-Port will hold a countrywide rally on November 4 to press home its 6-point demand including the trial of ‘energy criminals’ who looted the country's wealth in the last 16 years of Awami League government through crimes and corruption.

The leaders of the committee announced the new action programme from a roundtable meeting at Dhaka Reporters Unity on Saturday, UNB reports. 

The other demands include reducing power and energy prices, enhancing institutional capacity in the power and energy sector through reforms, enhancing capacity building in producing local gas, and ensuring a competitive bidding process for producing renewable energy in the country.

With Dhaka City Unit coordinator Julfiqar Ali in the chair, the event was addressed among others, by National Committee leader Anu Muhammad, Vice President of Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) Prof M Shamsul Alam, economist MM Akash and Prof Anis Chowdhury of Australia's Western University.

Addressing the function, Prof M Shamsul Al said that the energy criminals must be tried and punished for their crimes. Otherwise, the people will not get justice and the interim government will lose the support of the mass people, he added.

He also demanded empowering the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) so that it could take all decisions in the energy sector in regard to the prices.

Prof Anu Muhammad said the government had floated international bidding for offshore gas blocks, but the ownership of people must be ensured in the gas block before they are awarded to any foreign companies.

He alleged that the fallen regime of Awami League enacted the Speedy Enhancement of Power and Energy Supply (Special Act) 2010 only to give indemnity to the criminals for their misdeeds.

He also demanded the cancellation of the Rooppur nuclear power plant deal saying that this project will put the lives of 1.2 crore of people at great risk.

Prof MM Akash said that the change of people in power will not change the situation. “Only the change in structure can check the corruption and reforms must be done for this sake.”