Petroleum training institute almost inert

The Bangladesh Petroleum Institute, a training institution responsible for developing national capacity in petroleum exploration and related activities, has become almost inert because of its poor management and lack of skilled manpower and facilities.

Apart from the position of the director general, 15 of the 17 key technical posts, including that of the training director, research director, principal scientific officers and senior scientific officers, are unfilled.

There is one scientific officer employed at the institute although there are eight posts available.

The institute was set up in 1981, under a project funded by the United Nations Development Programme and UNDP and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), to develop skilled professionals in the energy ministry agencies responsible for petroleum exploration, extraction, transmission and distribution.

Many had hoped that the institute would provide an answer to the country's increased dependence on foreign companies which has come about for lack of skilled professionals in the state-run agencies in the energy sector.

The project came to an end in 1996 at which point the government decided to build the institute into a state-of-the-art training institute capable of doing research and development, data management and providing higher diploma education for the oil, gas and mineral sector.

Since the time, staff have left the institute without any new recruitment taking place.

Former and present BPI officials told New Age that lack of manpower and absence of any laboratories or any digital data management system have made the institution ineffective for many years.

From once having organised 25 training sessions, seminars and workshops every year, it now only organises 5 or 6 a year, they said.

The BPI director general, Manabenra Bhowmik, an administration cadre officer,

told New Age that the institution 'has taken initiatives' to increase its manpower, but declined to give any further detail.

Aminur Rahman, senior assistant secretary in the energy ministry with responsibility for supervising the institution, said that he could not comment on what was going on about the institution as he said it was his 'additional responsibility.'

Former high officials blamed the institution's failures to it being led by bureaucrats rather than professionals.

Rois Siddique, a former director general of the institute, told New Age that only professionals can understand the requirements of a training institution like the Bangladesh Petroleum Institute.

He also said that the top two posts were used simply to 'compensate bureaucrats' whose former positions within the ministry had been given to other bureaucrats promoted by the government.

He also said that bureaucrats liked to get the two top posts in the institute as they get extra allowance, an opportunity for corruption and the chance to remain in the capital.

Two topmost posts of the institute are both held by officials of the administration cadre who get 30 per cent extra benefits on top of their salary.

Manabenra defended the status quo telling New Age that it was necessary to appoint bureaucrats to the top posts of the institute as they were managerial ones and were designed for a joint secretary or an additional secretary.

Until recently, the institute had only one senior bureaucratic post of director general — equivalent to a joint secretary or additional secretary.

However, in 2009, the energy division converted the BPI's secretary post to that of director making it the equivalent to the rank of deputy secretary.

To allow this to happen, the energy division constituted the new post giving it responsibility for administration and training.

This post is also currently empty.

Source: New Age