Major Oil Find in Bangladesh
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/default.stm
AFP*, Dhaka, Apr 1 - The national oil exploration agency of Bangladesh reported the discovery of a huge oil reserve in this impoverished country. Bangladesh, the size of Wisconsin, with a population of 141million is usually known to the world as a place of recurrent natural calamities.
"It is tremendous. The size of the reserve exceeds the combined total of those in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait", enthused a spokesman for the government on CNN. The Bangladesh government has already started the construction of oil wells, near the south-eastern city of Chittagong, 160 miles from the capital Dhaka. The government has called a hartal tomorrow as a sign of respect.
The news of the discovery has had tremendous impact in the domestic and world scene. Opposition leader Sheikh Hasina has called on the ruling BNP to handover power to the opposition Awami League. "Since Bangladesh is now an oil rich country, it is obvious that it should be ruled by a Sheikh", she said.
There have also been reports of troop mobilization in the Bangladesh Burma border. The Burmese government has laid claim to Chittagong and surrounding areas, citing historical evidence of the region being ruled by kings from the Burmese province of Ara- kan. The Burmese government also accused "imperialist lackeys" of calling the 62,000 Rohingyas in Bangladesh as refugees. It said that the Rohingyas are simply an advance party of oil workers.
In a related development, the Mongolian Government has also laid claims to Bangladesh since the Mughals were of Mongol descent. In London, White Hall has published a white paper, claiming the un- constitutionality of the giving of independence to the Indian- sub- continent by the then ruling Labor Party. "It was a conspiracy of the leftist alliance", fumed a spokesman for Prime Minister Tony Blair. The British government has filed suit with the International Court of Justice [IJC].
In Karachi, the national parliament in a press conference apologized for seceding from Bangladesh. "We have always considered Pakistan to be part of Bangladesh. The fraternal ties of religion is stronger than blood or oil", commented President General Pervez Musharraf. He called the break-up of Bangladesh a conspiracy of the Un-Islamic PPP and called for the trial of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's body for treason.
The Bangladesh government also reported massive influx of refugees from India. Reports indicate that over 500,000 refugees have crossed over. Twenty persons have been arrested in the border area, including two persons claiming to be the President and Prime minister of India.
The Bangladesh Embassies in Washington, Ottawa and Bonn are reporting increasing number of people seeking asylum. The Embassy in Washington reported that the Bangladesh government is debating the holding of an immigration lottery for US citizens desirous of moving to Bangladesh.
The discovery has resulted in pandemonium in the capital city. Massive processions were brought out in the city to celebrate the find. Reports indicate, all vehicles were torched during the procession. There has been tremendous jubilation in the industrial heartland of Bangladesh at Jinjira. Industrialist Zomir Bepari, whose concern manufactures Rebok Shoes, Antimate Perfumes and Harrier Jump-jets for the US, claimed that his firm has already manufactured 50 Khadillacs, 24 Bholbhos, 200 Guchi briefcases and 2 space shuttles.
Edited on, April 1, 2005, 7:15 AM GMT, by Zunaid.