Gas overture

By AZ, Dhaka
17 February 2004, 18:00 PM
The two main political parties, whether in position or opposition have been sitting over the gas surplus export issuetrying to remain popular in public adulation, in and out of season. Why not go for a Political Beauty Contest? There might be a few surprises.

Now there appears to be a flicker of interest on possible export of LNG from Bangladesh (value-added) with technical and business collaboration of Indonesia, which has experience in this line. Good, go for a strict feasibility, and then DO something--can't float on political gas for two generations.

Or, flood the North with gas for homes and industrial use. Business sentimentality has no place in the modern competitive world. We have to earn a decent living, for enhanced quality of life. Why the minute rich at the top of the peak should enjoy overloaded luxuries?

The incubation period for this young nation is over. But the 'busy' politicians are still 'hatching--God knows what illusions, allusions, delusions, hallucinations, and appearances and disappearing magic acts are the fashion of the times.

We seem to have a fixation on the Nigeria story, but the East looks brighter. there is so much corruption in the gas pipe laying contracts that it seems we have to run industries in the North with portable LNG chargers and cylinders used in domestic kitchens. We are too much domesticated (politically?) to step out into the world of big, bright venture capital.

Equal opportunity is a taboo philosophy; and nothing is to be shared with the opposition (brooding hen or sitting duck?).