It also stressed on big investments at private-public partnership in power sector, and import of hydro-electricity from Nepal and Bhutan ensuring transparency and accountability in the total process.

The seminar titled 'Bangladesh energy sector: The way forward' was organised by German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) in cooperation with the Ministry of Energy, Power and Mineral Resources at a hotel in the city.

Speaking as chief guest, Energy Adviser Tapan Choudhury said beside gas, other sources of energy, especially coal, must be given due importance in the energy planning so that economic development of the country is not constrained due to power shortage.

The proven reserve of gas will meet the demand forecast until 2011, while probable reserves to meet the demand until 2015, he said, adding that it will therefore be inappropriate to rely heavily on natural gas.

Tapan Choudhury said it is necessary to exploit the country's coal reserve so that only coal-based thermal power plants could be set up from 2010 onwards.

Speaking as panellist at the concluding session, Asian Development Bank Representative Rahman Murshed said, "We need big power plants because the renewable energy cannot meet the demand."

World Bank Representative Md Iqbal said unless there is huge investment, there will not be lucrative energy.

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Representative Shireen Kamal Sayeed said the authorities concerned must consider the impact of energy generation on environment.

Bangladesh Unnyan Parishad Chairman Prof Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad said energy policies should be defined so that people can be benefited from it.

Dhaka University Geology Prof Badrul Imam cautioned that the government should be very conservative in exploiting the coal in the northern part of the country considering its geological structure.

Former chairman of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission Dr Anwar Hossain in his keynote presentation suggested a two-dimensional energy policy.

Dr Asaduzzaman of Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies, UNDP Consultant Iftekhar Hossain, Vice-chancellor of Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology Dr Anwar Hossain, Energy Division Secretary AMM Nasir Uddin, former chairman of Power Development Board Nuruddin M Kamal, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology Prof Nurul Islam, Power Division Chairman AKM Zafar Ullah Khan and GTZ Programme Coordinator Erich Otto Gomm also spoke.