Draft coal policy to be on website for public scrutiny
Wednesday, 1 August 2007
FE Report
An advisory committee, charged with finalising coal regulations, has decided to post the latest version of the draft coal policy on the web site to ensure transparency.
The eight-member committee, formed by the present interim administration, has also agreed, in principle, to induct more members to finalise the policy in a faster way.
The decision came in the first meeting of the committee held Tuesday at the energy and mineral resources division.
"The draft policy will be available on the internet from now on. People will be allowed to send their comments on it," Abdul Motin Patwari, chairman of the committee, said.
"We'll be receiving comments and feedback on the sixth version for a week. The openness will help stimulate debate and improve the final policy," Patwari, a former vice chancellor of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) added.
The committee chief viewed that coal should not be allowed to export, as the country needs the energy resource to generate electricity.
He also said primarily, the government agencies would devel op coal mines.
The committee members agreed that the local media should be involved in future discussions on the coal policy.
The meeting sources said the committee would meet Saturday next to take stock of the policy, drafted by the energy division.
Bangladesh has an estimated 2221 million tonnes of proven coal reserves in five mines, including Barapukuria and Phulbari.
The policy has placed top priority on ensuring the domestic energy security for at least 50 years, while its major thrust on the public sector in coal-mine development.
"Excess coals exports may be allowed only after ensuring the energy security of the country for 50 years under the Coal Sector Master Plan," says the new version of the policy.
"The amount of coal exports should not exceed the use of minerals in the mandatory mine mouth power plants. The ratio of coal exports and coal use in power plants will be 1:1," adds the draft.
The draft has also made it clear that national interest will be given the topmost priority while attracting foreign direct investments in the coal sector.
Although the mining method remains the stickiest point in regulations, the draft policy does not provide any preferred method and gives the percentage of coal to be extracted from both open pit and underground mining.
But critics say if the policy is "restrictive", it will be difficult to attract private investment, given the scanty public resources.
The World Bank, in an analysis on the first draft, said the policy should allow coal exports from the outset and be made flexible enough to woo private investors in the development of coal mines.
The immediate past BNP-led coalition government had initiated a move to frame the first ever coal policy and the revised it several times, but the issues of mining method, exports, royalty, environment and licensing regime stood in the way of its approval.
An advisory committee, charged with finalising coal regulations, has decided to post the latest version of the draft coal policy on the web site to ensure transparency.
The eight-member committee, formed by the present interim administration, has also agreed, in principle, to induct more members to finalise the policy in a faster way.
The decision came in the first meeting of the committee held Tuesday at the energy and mineral resources division.
"The draft policy will be available on the internet from now on. People will be allowed to send their comments on it," Abdul Motin Patwari, chairman of the committee, said.
"We'll be receiving comments and feedback on the sixth version for a week. The openness will help stimulate debate and improve the final policy," Patwari, a former vice chancellor of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) added.
The committee chief viewed that coal should not be allowed to export, as the country needs the energy resource to generate electricity.
He also said primarily, the government agencies would devel op coal mines.
The committee members agreed that the local media should be involved in future discussions on the coal policy.
The meeting sources said the committee would meet Saturday next to take stock of the policy, drafted by the energy division.
Bangladesh has an estimated 2221 million tonnes of proven coal reserves in five mines, including Barapukuria and Phulbari.
The policy has placed top priority on ensuring the domestic energy security for at least 50 years, while its major thrust on the public sector in coal-mine development.
"Excess coals exports may be allowed only after ensuring the energy security of the country for 50 years under the Coal Sector Master Plan," says the new version of the policy.
"The amount of coal exports should not exceed the use of minerals in the mandatory mine mouth power plants. The ratio of coal exports and coal use in power plants will be 1:1," adds the draft.
The draft has also made it clear that national interest will be given the topmost priority while attracting foreign direct investments in the coal sector.
Although the mining method remains the stickiest point in regulations, the draft policy does not provide any preferred method and gives the percentage of coal to be extracted from both open pit and underground mining.
But critics say if the policy is "restrictive", it will be difficult to attract private investment, given the scanty public resources.
The World Bank, in an analysis on the first draft, said the policy should allow coal exports from the outset and be made flexible enough to woo private investors in the development of coal mines.
The immediate past BNP-led coalition government had initiated a move to frame the first ever coal policy and the revised it several times, but the issues of mining method, exports, royalty, environment and licensing regime stood in the way of its approval.