The recent news about South Korean company Hyundai building offshore gas platform next to Bangladesh border is worrisome and could jeopardize the vast mineral resources that Bangladesh hope to explore someday. Since the platform is very near to the border of Bangladesh, chances are there that it will suck in the gas that will be found even in Bangladesh border areas. While Bangladeshi government is sitting, be sitting and chickened out to India and Myanmar, the two countries are going ahead with their own plan to explore their precious material at any cost. The AL government’s decision to award only two oil and gas fields to Conoco instead of eight actually does not bore well for the country. ConocoPhillips reportedly told they want all the eight blocks as well. Strategically it will make sense to award all the eight blocks to Conoco with a condition that they will not start any exploration in the disputed areas. But if India or Myanmar start anything in that areas then USA can with all its might intervene and bring some kind of a resolution. USA also reportedly was willing to provide joint maritime patrol in the Bay of Bengal to safeguard Bangladesh’s territory and its integrity. The past care taker government saw this from a strategic perspective and was wise to recommend awarding all the eight blocks to ConocoPhillips.

I am not sure if AL government which is so close to India, will have guts to do that for safeguarding the sovereignty of Bangladesh. Their foreign ministry and ministers are already showing its weaknesses repeatedly with their sacrificing comments. But it will be a big mistake if they fail to safeguard our national resources and the price they and the country have to pay might be dear in the long run.