ULFA threatens to blow up Bangladesh gas transmission line: Report

Dhaka: The anti-talk faction of separatist outfit ULFA has threatened to blow up Bangladesh's largest gas transmission pipeline, prompting authorities to order an intensified security vigil, a media report said on Wednesday citing an Indian intelligence tip-off.

The Paresh Barua-led faction of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) recently issued the threat to blow up the transmission line of the Bibiyana gas field, which supplies 45 per cent of the gas, the mass circulation Samakal newspaper in a lead story, basing it on information given by Indian intelligence agencies.

The article said Indian intelligence agencies recently unearthed the plot tapping a telephone conversation of Barua with an ULFA commander when he asked him to blow up the pipeline in Bangladesh.

The 119 kilometre-long Bibiyana pipeline is Bangladesh's largest transmission line that supplies gas to the national grid from the Bibiyana gas field in northeastern Habiganj, bordering Assam to central Dhunat sub-district, operated by US oil giant Chevron.

Officials of state-run Petrobangla, which contracts out the gas plants to foreign and local oil companies, said they received the information last week and took up the issue with concerned government authorities and cautioned Chevron.

"We have sought necessary government steps for the security of the gas line and cautioned Chevron to enforce an extra vigil on the Bibiyana's production and transmission systems," Petrobangla director M Kamaruzzaman told PTI.

He said Petrobangla and Chevron already held a meeting with the officials of the home ministry and security agencies concerned to ensure adequate security for the plant and the transmission line.

A home ministry official said the law enforcement and security agencies were asked to take necessary steps in view of the reported threat, enhancing their vigil as the outfit has record of carrying out sabotages on Indian gas pipelines.

However, officials said they were assessing its authenticity and capacity of the outfit's "remnants".

Home minister Asaduzzaman Kamal expressed his doubt about the authenticity of the threat and capacity of the ULFA faction as most of their top leaders gave up their separatist campaign in view of their negotiations with the Indian government.

"I cannot tell you anything about the threat before we could fully verify it, but I am in doubt about the capacity of ULFA remnants in carrying out any sabotage in our country," Kamal said.

He added that Bangladesh long ago drove out ULFA from its borders with India, evicting their makeshift hideouts.

"Paresh Barua, however, is still on the run but we understand India has kept a watch on his activities and so have we, as he once secretly took refuge in Bangladesh," Kamal said.