"Finalisation of the national coal policy is now in the final stage and I hope it will be formalised by the next month," the adviser told a roundtable in Dhaka organised by Energy and Power, a fortnightly energy magazine.

The adviser said experts would decide on the methodology for coal extraction from two choices-- open pit and underground mining.

He said, "No policy will be taken which will go against the interest of the people."

"We welcome all to give their suggestions in formulating the coal and energy policies. We will finalise the policies only after evaluating the opinions," the adviser said.

He said the coal policy would be included in the energy policy.

Tapan emphasised the coal sector's development as demand for power is increasing day by day while supply of gas, the main source for power generation, is plunging gradually.

He viewed that coal is the only alternative source, which can be used for power generation after gas.

Tapan said private sector would get opportunities to sell power to consumers through national grid because it is impossible for the government to provide sufficient power to all.

Energy Secretary AMM Nasir Uddin said time has come to take decision on coal extraction methodology.

"Many countries have stopped use of underground mining since it often causes accidents killing thousands of people each year," the energy secretary said adding last year around 22,000 workers were killed in an accident in China due to underground mining.

M Tamim, chairman of petroleum and mineral resources department at Buet, said underground mining may cause environment and water pollution.

"But you have to make a balance between the development and environment. You cannot stop development work in the name of environment pollution," he said.

Yunus Akan, chief geologist of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, said none raised question about the eviction of local people when the urban development projects at Uttara and Purbachal in the capital were taken up.

"But questions were raised when open pit mining was proposed for coal extraction from Phulbari and Barapukuria coalmines," Akan said while presenting the keynote paper.

Ijaz Hossain, professor of chemical engineering at Buet, said the country has enough gas reserves but there is no exploration or development plan to extract that wealth.

Summit Group Chairman Mohammad Aziz Khan said the local investors should be given the chance to set up medium-scale power plants alongside the small power plants.

Associated Press Bureau Chief Farid Hossain moderated the roundtable.