Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has firmly stated that no company will get more than one block in the Bay of Bengal to explore oil and gas.
During Wednesday’s meeting at her office, Hasina also directed the floating of fresh tenders for this.
The ministers of finance, shipping, industries, water resources, environment, land, planning, civil aviation, and foreign affairs, and the navy chief, among others, were present at the meeting.
“The meeting discussed ways to harness the mineral resources in the Bay and using them for the people of Bangladesh,” prime minister’s Press Secretary KM Shameem Chowdhury told reporters.
The prime minister’s press secretary said Hasina had suggested new biddings to explore and extract oil and gas in Bangladesh’s maritime boundary.
“The prime minister has said, ‘a company will not be given more than one block’,” he said.
Bangladesh has settled its maritime boundary disputes with Myanmar and India.
Researchers believe this opens up a great opportunity to explore resources in the Bay.
Hasina has ordered research and surveys to ascertain the nature and extent of the unexplored resources and said the government plans to strengthen the Navy to protect them.
She emphasised having Bangladesh’s own satellite to conduct surveys, research and extract resources in the Bay.
The press secretary said the prime minister had suggested surveys in the in shallow and deep sea.
She also emphasised protecting the environment and wildlife in the Bay, Chowdhury said.