Dhaka, July 02: Outgoing US ambassador Mary Ann Peters has called upon political parties in Bangladesh to evolve a consensus on the issue of gas export if they wanted to improve the country's economy. "Bangladesh should come together, put politics aside and as a nation decide how best to exploit the opportunities of exporting gas utilizing the country's fortuitous geography," Peters told an audience of mostly business leaders here yesterday.
Political parties in the country are deeply divided over the issue of gas export, almost all of which would go to India.
While the opposition including Awami League is against any export, the ruling Bangladesh National Party supports it for economic reasons but is yet to implement the project.
US multinational Unicol wants to export gas it found in Bangladesh to India.
Peters said "besides gas export, Bangladesh should also have consensus on trade cooperation with neighbours and within the Asian region."
She leaves here later July at the end of her three-year stint as the 10th US ambassador to Bangladesh.
Peters regretted that a number of critical economic issues, including export of gas and construction of a container terminal in Chittagong, remained "as it is" during her stint. Bureau Report