Review committee to hear from Law Ministry experts on coal royalty issue
Saturday, 8 December 2007
The Coal Policy Review Committee is likely to invite experts from the law ministry to hear their opinions on coal royalty issue, reports UNB.
Despite holding its 17th meeting Sunday, the Coal Policy Review Committee could not settle the royalty issue as it is in a dilemma with it.
The meeting, presided over by its Chairman Prof Abdul Matin Patwari, heard from a legal expert of Petrobangla about the present status and bindings of different agreements, particularly those signed relating to the Barapukuria and Phulbari coal mines.
Barrister Abdullah Al Manum, a lawyer of Petrobangla, presented clarifications on different agreements and their bindings.
He said though the agreement under rthe Barapukuria coal mine project was signed on 20 per cent royalty, it has been paying the government 5 per cent royalty.
He said no violation of the government's rule took place in the case of Barapukuria because the agreement self-incorporated the government rules and the government reduced the royalty rate to 5 per cent from earlier 20 per cent.
After hearing the statement of the lawyer, the committee members said they should invite a legal expert from the Law Ministry to hear the ministry's view.
Earlier last week, the committee heard the statement of Barapukuria Coal Mine's managing director Mohammad Aziz Khan who said the Barapukuria mine project would face a financial disaster if the royalty is set at more than 5 per cent.
He urged the committee to keep the Barapukuria coal mine project aside from any possible change in the royalty rate to avoid any future impact.
The meeting was attended by Prof Mustafizur Rahman of CPD, Prof Badrul Imam of Dhaka University, journalist Ataus Samad, Major General Ismail Faruque Chowdhury from the Army Headquarters, and IIFC chief executive Nazrul Islam.
Despite holding its 17th meeting Sunday, the Coal Policy Review Committee could not settle the royalty issue as it is in a dilemma with it.
The meeting, presided over by its Chairman Prof Abdul Matin Patwari, heard from a legal expert of Petrobangla about the present status and bindings of different agreements, particularly those signed relating to the Barapukuria and Phulbari coal mines.
Barrister Abdullah Al Manum, a lawyer of Petrobangla, presented clarifications on different agreements and their bindings.
He said though the agreement under rthe Barapukuria coal mine project was signed on 20 per cent royalty, it has been paying the government 5 per cent royalty.
He said no violation of the government's rule took place in the case of Barapukuria because the agreement self-incorporated the government rules and the government reduced the royalty rate to 5 per cent from earlier 20 per cent.
After hearing the statement of the lawyer, the committee members said they should invite a legal expert from the Law Ministry to hear the ministry's view.
Earlier last week, the committee heard the statement of Barapukuria Coal Mine's managing director Mohammad Aziz Khan who said the Barapukuria mine project would face a financial disaster if the royalty is set at more than 5 per cent.
He urged the committee to keep the Barapukuria coal mine project aside from any possible change in the royalty rate to avoid any future impact.
The meeting was attended by Prof Mustafizur Rahman of CPD, Prof Badrul Imam of Dhaka University, journalist Ataus Samad, Major General Ismail Faruque Chowdhury from the Army Headquarters, and IIFC chief executive Nazrul Islam.