By Mizan Rahman/Dhaka
Bangladesh is set to seek co-operation of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in two projects in the power and energy sector during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Abu Dhabi visit scheduled for October 25-27.
According to official sources in the power, energy and mineral resources ministry, Bangladesh will seek UAE’s investment and financial support for coal-based power development and also for establishing a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal with re-gasification facilities in the country.
“We’re preparing specific proposals on this particular issue for the prime minister’s Abu Dhabi visit,” a senior official in the power and energy ministry said.
He, however, said the UAE had shown keen interest for setting up a gas-fired power plant at Shahjibazar in Greater Sylhet and this issue might come up for discussion
as well.
Officials said that many important issues including manpower export, seaport development and energy sector cooperation will be discussed during the prime minister’s UAE visit. Each of the relevant ministries is busy preparing the agenda for discussion
during the visit.
Power and energy ministry officials said the government is laying importance on the financing of the coal-fired power plant as the country’s power system master plan stipulated 38,000MW power generation by 2030 in which 30% will come from
imported coal.
On the other hand, setting up LNG terminal is important from a point of view that the government has also another plant to import gas from abroad to meet the future energy requirement in power and industry sector.
At present, an LNG terminal with re-gasification facilities project was awarded to an American company to develop in the Chittagong region targeting to import bulk liquefied gas to inject 500mn cubic ft gas per day (MMCFD) to national gas network to meet the growing energy
demand.
Another LNG terminal project is under process to award its contract to an Indian company to provide imported gas supply to a power plant in Bangladesh’s southern region.