'Explore benefits keeping nat'l interest in mind'

The roundtable on 'Regional Energy Co-operation in the Asia Pacific' was organised by Bangladesh Institute of Law and International Affairs (Bilia) in the city.

"The gas pipeline network will put Bangladesh in a better trading position," said President of the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh Quamrul Islam Siddiqui.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

"But we must build our own capacity in extracting and utilising the available natural energy resources," he said, adding, "While dealing with energy resources, Bangladesh cannot but take the water resource into consideration."

As the Asia Pacific region is reaping benefits out of regional cooperation mechanism in the energy sector, the South Asian region too can derive similar advantage instituting a cross-border energy network, said FBCCI President Abdul Awal Mintoo.

He said Bangladesh has a proven reserve of two billion tons of coal but sufficient efforts have not been made to make the best use of it as a source of energy.

Energy resources are directly related to the national security and political strategies, said Buet Prof Nurul Islam, adding, "The issue of energy pricing can not be de-linked with politics in Bangladesh."

"Energy is too important too de-link it from politics." said a physicist and energy expert Dr Abdus Sattar.

Bangladesh's national interest should be viewed as a paramount concern while negotiating the trans-boundary energy transmission network, he added.

Chairman of Summit Group Mohammad Aziz Khan said Bangladesh must look into how it can make the best use of its available natural energy resources.

The proposed gas pipeline from Myanmar to India can be a big opportunity for Bangladesh to take its advantage, said Deputy General Manager of Cairn Energy Bangladesh Mike Mackie.

While delivering the keynote speech on the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) in the Asia Pacific region, Prof AFM Maniruzzaman of Portsmouth University, UK said energy cooperation is an economic as well as a political strategy which should be tailored to meet the specific need of the region.

Former general manager of Grameen Bank Muzammel Huq said the Asia Pacific region has a proven reserve of world's 4 percent oil and 8 percent natural gas.

Former Petrobangla chairman SKM Abdullah and senior energy advisor of the USAID Bruce McMullen also took part in the dialogue chaired by Bilia Director Wali-ur Rahman.