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The Exploration of Natural Gas and its Export Potential in Bangladesh

Mohammad Mamunur Rashid is Ph.D. Scholar, Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan. E-mail: mamun{at}me.titech.ac.jp.

There is a puzzling uncertainty about the real size of gas reserves in Bangladesh. Different institutions and companies provide widely differing estimates. No authority is able to verify the actual reserves. Nevertheless, most evidence shows that the country has vast natural gas reserves, exceeding the present domestic demand. This raises a question: should Bangladesh export some of its gas? Obviously, the export of natural gas will generate revenues for the country to balance its trade, and for investment in many other sectors. It will enable the government to implement social and cultural reforms and development programmes in primary education, poverty reduction, health and infrastructure. However, exporting natural gas in a developing country like Bangladesh is not an easy matter. The public is divided into two camps: those who are in favour and those who are against it. Following a brief history of Bangladeshi gas exploration, this article looks at its natural gas export potential and geology education associated with natural gas exploration. It discusses gas exploration by several national and international companies, and how they became a conduct for the transfer of technology and innovations. It also looks at the idea and plans for a pipeline to India to carry Bangladeshi gas. Finally, it concludes that there is an urgent for radical reforms in the Bangladeshi gas industry and institutions from exploration to marketing.

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