Speakers at a discussion yesterday alleged the government is trying to sign an anti-state agreement with India's industrial giant Tata Group, keeping the nation in dark.

An investment deal should be handled under a specific policy but the investment negotiations with the Tata Group are going on adhoc basis, leaving a chance of corruption and unfair deals, they said.

An organisation styled National Committee on Oil-Gas-Mineral Resources and Power, Port Protection organised the discussion in Dhaka.

Convenor of the organisation Sheikh Mohammad Sahidullah presided over the meeting where Serajul Islam, former chairman of Petrobangla, among others, was present.

In his keynote paper, M Shamsul Alam said the government did not consider the Tata investment proposal through an open competition and the proposal contains no study on economic impact of the investment.

He termed the Group's demand for tax exemption and uninterrupted gas and power supply unrealistic.

The speakers urged the government to make Tata negotiations public for the sake of transparency and accountability. They said it is also necessary to discuss the issue in the national parliament for better understanding of the investment proposal.