Int'l equity firms' participation in Energy, Power Fund urged
Tuesday, 17 November 2009
FE Report
Prime Minister's energy adviser Tawfiq E Elahi urged Monday international private equity firms to participate in the proposed Energy and Power Fund.
"We're now structuring the fund. If we finalise it, you can participate in it," he told a panel discussion in the city on private equity investment in Bangladesh.
Infrastructure is the "binding constraint" to the country's higher growth, the energy adviser said, calling upon the equity investors to focus on power and energy sectors.
He made the call as top executives of the Swedish firm Brummer and Partners and the UK's CDC showed interest in expanding their footprint to Bangladesh.
Mr. Elahi recalled the contribution of CDC in setting up two private power plants back in mid-1990s and said the country was able to draw equity capital from the British investment company.
He said the government would also organise multiple roadshows abroad including London and Singapore to attract foreign investments to fund the proposed Bibiyana power plant project.
Chairman of Brummer and Partners Patrik Brummer and chief executive of CDC Richard Laing were among the panelists at the discussion moderated by BRAC Bank chairman Mohammad A (Rumee) Ali. The Bangladesh unit of the Swedish Brummer & Partner organised the discussion.
Syed Nasim Manzur, managing director of Apex Adelchi, finance director of Summit Power Ltd Ayesha Aziz Khan, Arif Ud Dowla of ACI Ltd, and Ahsan Khan Chowdhury of PRAN-RFL Group also took part in the discussion as panelists.
Prime Minister's energy adviser Tawfiq E Elahi urged Monday international private equity firms to participate in the proposed Energy and Power Fund.
"We're now structuring the fund. If we finalise it, you can participate in it," he told a panel discussion in the city on private equity investment in Bangladesh.
Infrastructure is the "binding constraint" to the country's higher growth, the energy adviser said, calling upon the equity investors to focus on power and energy sectors.
He made the call as top executives of the Swedish firm Brummer and Partners and the UK's CDC showed interest in expanding their footprint to Bangladesh.
Mr. Elahi recalled the contribution of CDC in setting up two private power plants back in mid-1990s and said the country was able to draw equity capital from the British investment company.
He said the government would also organise multiple roadshows abroad including London and Singapore to attract foreign investments to fund the proposed Bibiyana power plant project.
Chairman of Brummer and Partners Patrik Brummer and chief executive of CDC Richard Laing were among the panelists at the discussion moderated by BRAC Bank chairman Mohammad A (Rumee) Ali. The Bangladesh unit of the Swedish Brummer & Partner organised the discussion.
Syed Nasim Manzur, managing director of Apex Adelchi, finance director of Summit Power Ltd Ayesha Aziz Khan, Arif Ud Dowla of ACI Ltd, and Ahsan Khan Chowdhury of PRAN-RFL Group also took part in the discussion as panelists.