The Feni incident in which gangsters terrorised oil company executives last Saturday has put the British High Commissioner and officials of Shell and Cairn in an embarrassing situation as they had violated protocol, sources said.

'The incident has also embarrassed the government. But government sources said that this situation could easily be avoided by taking security measures if the authorities were properly informed beforehand about the visit by the oil executives.

Some 15-16 top oil company executives including the Chairman of Shell Transport along with the British High Commissioner were scheduled to attend a function in Durgapur area under Parshuram thana of Feni district.

The function was arranged by a local Director of Shell Oil on Saturday. While the team was a few kilometers away from its destination, some six gangsters stopped their convoy on the road and fired three rounds of gunshots in the air. forcing them to turn back immediately.

The gangsters earlier ransacked the function venue in Durgapur.

Following this incident, the local director of Shell Oil was called to the Ministry Sunday and was asked whether the Petrobangla. Energy Ministry and other concemedauthorities were informed about the planned visit.

Sources said that the local director had Invited the Chairman of Shell Transport and Chief Executive of Calm Energy to inaugurate a primary school and a flrstaid centre in his own village. It was expected that both Shell and Cairn would donate a good amount of money from their social services fund for these community service project.

The local director of Shell did neither take permission from the authorities to accept the donation from the foreign companies, as required by the law. nor did he inform the foreign companies about the laws of the country. He did not also inform Petrobangla. the Energy

Ministry and other relevant authorities except the local police In Fenl about the visit.

It is reported that the incident had a political twist as the local director of Shell was an active member of BNP.

Although it is alleged that the local Shell director's political rival, an influential Awami League leader, was responsible for the incident in Feni. It Is now suspected that a faction of BNP had done the mischief in the name of the said AL leader.

However. Shell sources refuted this allegation saying that it was a mindless attack from local hoodlums.