Offers from more foreign companies will be invited for thq exploration and mining of coal in Bangladesh.

This was decided by the government recently and the authorities concerned have been advised to advertise in some internationally reputed magazines.

A similar invitation was extended to the foreign companies last April but met with poor response. Only BHP Minerals International, an Australia-US multinational which has been showing an interest in such exploration since 1986 and which had already offered specific proposals, responded then.

According to an official source, the Council Committee for Finance and Economic Affairs reviewed the issue in a meeting where the offers from BHP Minerals, received by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, were discussed.

The meeting agreed in prin-.

clple that the proposed terms and conditions of BHP Minerals were acceptable and an agreement with the company might be signed. The committee also decided to permit BHP in coal exploration and mining In the country except those places where government agencies have already discovered coal" deposits.

However, the committed in its recommendations also maintained that the authorities should try to obtain more offers from other interested foreign companies and the Energy Ministry should advertise again, giving at least 45 days' time.

Before signing any agreement on coal exploration, the ministry concerned will place a summary, before the cabinet containing the responses to the fresh advertisements along with tht proposals of BHP Minerals.

The source said publication of advertisements in two foreign weeklies is now under process.