It is reported that Weekly Economic Times organized a workshop for the North Bengal Mineral Resources Reporters Forum at Press Institute of Bangladesh. Coal experts Eng Mainul Hasan, Eng Kamrul Islam, journalists Ataus Samad and Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, among others, addressed the inaugural session of the workshop with Economic Times editor Shawkat Mahmud in the chair.

The experts at the workshop stressed that Bangladesh should finalize its coal policy at the earliest saying the existing gas reserves would start getting exhausted from 2015. Bangladesh would have to create alternative sources of fuel before complete exhaustion of the gas reserves.

Mr Tamim chief adviser special assistant for energy and power minister told reporters on the sidelines of a workshop that “The country will start facing gas crisis from 2011 and it'll take a severe turn in 2015. Though it'll take 30 to 40 years more to finish the entire gas reserves, but we need to go for mining coal quickly to avert the possible crisis.”

Referring to debate on coal extraction method, Mr Tamim said had Bangladesh thought about its huge coal resources before intervention of foreign companies, there would have been no controversy or debate in this regard. It's unfortunate that we start thinking about one thing after foreigners intervene in it.

Mr Tamim said that “We must realize the necessity of coal as an alternative source of fuel.” Asked when the pending coal policy will be finalized, he said the government was now studying the draft of the coal policy. It's very difficult to say about the timeframe of its finalization, but I hope it'll be finalized during this caretaker's time.