The US on hartal and gas export
Shamsul Alam Monir, Dept. of Public Admin, DU
My writing is on the comment of the newly appointed US Ambassador, Harry K Thomas, to Bangladesh. He spoke on various issues relating to Bangladesh at his first meeting with the press. I appreciate his strong disapproving of the "politics of hartal" saying, " all parties must find ways to work together. In modern age, hartal is disruptive to economy and people and we encourage both parties to work together."It's really a positive verbal support of the US in the reshaping of Bangladesh's political and economic climates into sound ones. I think US will extend its hand to Bangladesh's economic development and other sectors where it can intervene without being seen as interfering in domestic affairs. But I disagree with Harry K Thomas about exporting gas. Commenting on the remarks of American Nobel Laureate economist Prof. Joseph Stiglitz who strongly opposed the idea of gas export, Ambassador Thomas said, " ... I don't know if he has any experience of natural gas engineering... And with all due respect, I disagree with him," I want to ask him politely, does he have any experience of natural gas engineering? I don't know whether the Nobel Laureate had any experience of it or not. If he does, he will be able to measure our natural gas and that will be an appreciable move. Why not give us a detailed description about this disputed issue. He avoided a direct reply when asked to spell out a single factor that has prompted Washington to put Bangladesh on the US list of terror-risk nations, saying, "I was not aware that Bangladesh is on the terror list. I don't believe it, I will have to check that." He doesn't believe it, but then again, who does? It's a matter of surprise that he has to check that. People of Bangladesh think the US should comment frankly on Bangladesh.If he thinks that Bangladesh is not a terror-risk nation, then he should convince his government to declare it openly. We the people of Bangladesh will welcome this gesture.
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