However, Tata will sit with the Board of Investment (BoI) today and take its final decision after the meeting.

"If the government makes no decision we can't wait. We are dealing with this government and this government should response," Alan Rosling, executive director of Tata Sons told reporters yesterday.

Visiting Tata officials arrived in Dhaka yesterday to get a response from the government about its revised investment proposal, and sat with top ministers and secretaries including Finance and Planning Minister M Saifur Rahman, Seceretary-general of the ruling BNP also LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, Industries Minister Motiur Rahman Nizami, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Dr Kamal Uddin Siddiqui, and other policy makers.

"The government needs to consult opposition parties before entering into a deal with Tata for a $3 billion investment," Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan said after the meeting with Tata representatives.

"This is a very big proposal, which we welcome. At the same time, we will also share opinions with the opposition for taking a decision in this regard."

This is the first time an influential minister spoke publicly about seeking the opposition's view on the Tata investment proposal. "The deal with Tata might be delayed until after the January election. We did all the background work and the next government will be in a comfortable position to take a decision," said Bhuiyan.

"Top policy makers are not in favour of taking any decision right now," M Saifur Rahman told reporters.

Motiur Rahman Nizami said the upcoming election makes it difficult to accept a $3 billion investment proposal by the Indian conglomerate Tata, even though the deal is good for the country.

Nizami also said more time is needed to evaluate some aspects of Tata's proposal, including gas pricing and guarantees of gas supply.

Tata proposed setting up a steel mill, a urea factory, a 1,000 megawatt gas-fired power plant and development of a coal mine in Bangladesh.