Bangladesh visit oi Mr.

Calvin Humphrey. Acting Assistant Secretary of US Energy Department, who a!4-member US delegation of power experts and officials might open up an excellent opportunity for the two countries to establish mutually beneficial relationship in this sector. This opportunity might further be augmented because of Mr. Bill Richardson as US Energy Secretary who has genuine "love and commitment of cooperation" for Bangladesh.

We also believe these visits of various US delegations are prelude to forthcoming South Asia visit of US President Bill Clinton. It is a known fact that President Clinton comes from one of the poorest states of his country and does have deep sense of understanding of the meaning of poverty alleviation. It is time for Bangladesh government as well as opposition political parties to formulate a joint strategy to establish mutually beneficial relationship with the world's most powerful country as well as to address the world's largest 474 billions plus yearly import market. Perhaps, it is the last opportunity for Bangladesh, one of the poorest countries of the world, to secure a tangible US cooperation and assTstance in the nation's overall development programme to avoid disastrous strain of population growth.

Although Bangladesh government is regularly bragging about its 'open power policy and firm plan to make maximum use of the country's gas and energy resources by blending together local and foreign expertise'. it is also reported that foreign investors are often frustrated in the absence of transparency in dealing with them. US being technologically most advanced country, this visit is

also opening up scope and possibilities of much wider cooperation including in the energy sector. The following may be considered for inclusion within the scope of proposed study on strategic use of natural gas as agreed between the two governments:

A. Natural Gas being only marketable but noii-repewable natural resource, its exploitation should be related to job generation in the country, through technology transfer with special reference to export oriented manufacturing and related infrastructure development. We need to identify areas where hundreds of thousands of new jobs may be generated to reach benefit of this precious natural resource to the common people of the country in its bld for poverty alleviation. Petrochemical. Textile. Automobile Tire, Iron & Steel and Energy Intensive Electronic manufacturing may be considered as potential areas. The United States leading in all of these, technologies and also importing billions of dollars worth of these products, is certainly in a position to help Bangladesh. Possibilities of every billion dollar new imports by the USA from Bangladesh may generate over 300,000 new jobs and if we can address 1 per cent of US import market we are looking at over 1.2 million new jobs.

B. Bangladesh certainly need to consider export of natural gas to generate funds to meet the import cost of technology and machinery for infrastructure as well as industrial development. Exporting natural gas by way of taking it to foreign country by pipeline may bring maximum benefit to the country. India being our immediate neighbour and also in need of energy import, they will be our best buyer if we can negotiate mutually beneficial contracts

where US companies working in our gas fields may play a key role. With transparency in dealing with US companies it will unquestionably be possible to create public opinion in favour of exporting natural gas to India. Honest intent, well planned and Innovative use of media including Radio and Television are essential to create such public opinions.

C. Information Technology and Telecommunication are major areas where through suitable transfer of technology Bangladesh may derive maximum benefit from highly advanced US technologies. It may be noted that in the past Bangladesh installed telephone exchanges (public switching equipment) importing from Japan at a cost of $1100 per line while better quality AT&T equipment were available at $240 per line. We believe Bangladesh would need a few million lines of telephone switching equipment during next two decades. Technology transfer from the US companies like AT&T and envisaging progressive manufacturing will enable us to create few thousand new jobs. Potential of exporting IT services and Telephone equipment may also be taken into consideration as long term strategy.

Signing of these accords between Dhaka and Washington will lead us towards a new horizon in the new millennium for a long-term mutually beneficial technical cooperation for our social development and poverty alleviation. It is our earnest desire that agencies those who are directly involved in implementing these accords may invite and consider public opinion where Bangladeshis including expatriates can play their appropriate role in this vital national development endeavour.