DHAKA: The government is going to arrange an investment conference here Saturday for attracting local and foreign investors to the power and energy sectors that cry for huge funds with a promise for good returns.

State Minister for Power Enamul Hoque told banglanews24.com.bd that investment is needed for development of the power-hungry power sector.

“We will be able to inform local and foreign investors about all things, including the present status of the sector and planning through the conference. The purpose of the conference is to induce them into investing in the power and energy sectors,” said the minister.
 
He said the projects that the ministry going to present are four coal-based power stations with a total capacity of 500 megawatts, a second unit of the 450-MW Bibiana power station and Meghnagat power station, 150-MW Bhola power station, 450-MW Sirajganj power station and 100-MW furnace oil-based Kaliakoir and Savar power stations.

The ministry will also request the probable investors to invest in the four solar power projects of 10-MW capacity, 100-MW wind-power plants and in an LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) terminal, which would be used to import LNG to mitigate the gas shortages in the gas-based power stations.

Few other projects like Power Transmission Line and Gas Transmission Line will be presented at the conference.

Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) chairman ASM Alamgir Kabir also will present a report on government’s master plan in power sector up to 2015.

Bangladesh Investment Board Executive Chairman Dr SA Samad will spell out the keynote in the first session with State Minister Enamul Haque presiding.

Dr Tofique Ellahi, PM’s adviser on Power and Energy, will moderate the conference.

Keynote of the second session will be presented by Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Atiur Rahman and moderated by power secretary Abul Kalam Azad. Finance Secretary Dr Mohammad Tareq will preside over the session. Power Department’s officials will meet separately with interested investors after lunch break.   

The Power Division, Energy Division, Law Ministry, Environment Ministry, Petrobangla, PDB and the National Board of Revenue (NBR) will set up stalls at the conference venue at Sonargaon Hotel.

In the meantime, the government has held three road shows in London, Singapore and New York to draw attention of foreign investors to the power-hunting power sector.

Following the road shows the government is going to organize the Dhaka meet and it will present some new projects along with the projects presented abroad, said an official.

Earlier, the decision of holding the conference came from a preparatory meeting of the Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry with State Minister Enamul Haque in the chair in the conference room of the Ministry on June 13.  

BDST: 1640 Hrs. July 2, 2010