Bangladesh Economic Association (BEA) yesterday rejected the Tamim Committee's report on the damage of Tengratila gas field blowouts, terming it completely 'unacceptable and mysterious'.

"Our assessment shows at least

115 billion cubic feet gas worth around Tk 1,500 crore to Tk 1,600 crore has been destroyed by the double Tengratila blowouts," BEA President Dr Kazi Kholliquzzaman said.

"But the Tamim Committee's report shows only three billion cubic feet gas was damaged," he told a

press conference at Jatiya Press Club in the city.

Meantime, the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Natural Resources, Power and Port is going to file a case against the Canadian company Niko, seeking demurrage for the blowouts, reports BDNEWS. The BEA president while reading out a statement of Citizen Commission for Gas-Oil-Coal formed by the association said there is sharp difference between the damage assessments of Magurchhara and Tengratila blowouts.

A government committee comprising Unocal representatives assessed that 265 bcf gas worth about Tk 3,900 crore was destroyed in Magurchhara, Kholliquzzaman said.

"But the Tamim Committee reported only three billion cubic feet gas damaged in Tengratila."

However, both the blowouts witnessed about 300-foot-high blazes on an average for 10 days, the BEA president argued.

Total loss caused by the Tengratila blowouts will stand at Tk 3,500 crore to Tk 3,600 crore if the 265 bcf gas at Chhatak (west) field assessed by Bapex-Niko in 2000 cannot be extracted due to the blowouts.

"Moreover, if we fail to extract 1,100 bcf gas of the Chhatak field assessed by Petrobangla in 2002 due to the latest blowouts, the loss would stand at Tk 14,000 crore to Tk 15,000 crore," the statement added.

It urged to form a fresh committee comprising the experts and members of the Citizen Commission to determine the actual loss.

Blaming Niko for the Tengratila disaster, speakers at the news conference also demanded exemplary action against the company.

They demanded that those behind the controversial agreement with Niko and those who are trying to spare the company be detected immediately.

Citizen Commission members Justice Golam Rabbani, Dr Abul Barakat, Prof Badrul Imam, Nuruddin Mahmud Kamal, Rafidul Islam Khan, MA Sattar Mandal and Prof Syed Abdul Hye were present.

BDNEWS adds: The National

Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Natural Resources, Power and Port is going to file a case against Niko for compensation.

Eminent lawyer Dr Kamal Hossain, Barrister Sara Hossain and Barrister Tanjibul Islam will assist in filing the case, Committee president Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah disclosed it at a round table discussion at the Jatiya (national) Press Club yesterday.

Professor of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology M Shamsul Alam presented a report of the probe committee on Tengratila catastrophe.

Former chairman of Petrobangla SK Abdullah, Workers Party of Bangladesh Politbureau member Haider Akbar Khan Rono, former chairman of PDB Nuruddin Mahmud Kamal, Dr Badrul Imam and economists MM Akash and Anu Muhammad also spoke.

Disagreeing with the report by Prof M Tamim of Buet on losses from the blow out, SK Abdullah said none could reach within the radius of one mile of the gas field, but now the nation wants to know how the probe committee made its investigation. "How did the government measure the amount of losses?" he questioned.

Nuruddin Mahmud Kamal said the government has confused the nation through its probe report.

Dr Badrul Imam said the probe committee mentioned that the two blowouts caused losses of three bcf gas while the same blow-out in Magurchhara had shown losses of 265 bcf gas. "So, the question arises as to how the probe committee has judged the amount of losses," he said.

MM Akash said the crime and the criminals behind the Niko deal must be identified for information of the people.

Anu Muhammad alleged the energy ministry has been working to protect the interest of the multinational companies.