Panchagarh Correspondent: A human chain and rally took place in Tentulia, Panchagarh, advocating for the re-excavation of the Shalbahan oil mine. On Saturday at 11 am, the Sachate Nagorik Committee organized this event at the historic Tentultala, located at the intersection of the Panchagarh-Dhaka highway. The event was moderated by journalist Abdul Based, while Adv. Monowar Hossain Hanif, the convener of the Sachate Nagorik Committee, made a compelling case for the re-excavation of the Shalbahan oil mine, elaborating on the issue during the human chain.

Other speakers included media activist and playwright Sarkar Haider, veteran journalist and educator Sohrab Ali, and student representative Rashed. The speakers highlighted that exploration commenced under the Petroleum Development Project in Shalbahan, Tentulia, during the fiscal year 1986-87, with the mine’s depth estimated at around 900 meters. In 1989, the French Fersal Company confirmed the potential for oil extraction approximately 6,000 feet below the surface and drilled a well with a diameter of 12 inches, reaching a depth of 8,000 feet. Subsequently, on April 10, 1988, President H.M. Ershad inaugurated the mine. However, oil extraction abruptly ceased within weeks of the inauguration for reasons that remain unclear.

The speakers alleged that an Indian conspiracy was behind the mine’s closure, as oil extraction had begun in the Raiganj area of Jalpaiguri, India, just 6 kilometers from the Shalbahan oil mine. Consequently, in response to this alleged conspiracy, the mine was officially sealed and declared abandoned. Although there were intentions to resume oil extraction at Shalbahan politically and administratively, no tangible actions were taken. Local residents, aware of the situation, strongly urged the interim government to prioritize the reopening of the Shalbahan oil mine. Following this, they demonstrated by blocking various roads in a crossroads market.