An agreement between Bangladesh and Russia on cooperation for development of nuclear technology in the country is likely to be signed within this month.

State Minister for Power and Energy Shamsul Hoq Tuku yesterday said that there is no other alternative but to approve the coal policy for electricity production.

Acute environment pollution is prevailing at Rupganj because the industrial units at the upazila have no treatment plant of management of industrial waste. The industrial units at Rupshi, Kahina, gandarbapur Kazi para, Moikoli, Barpa Ariabo, Mashaboo and Khadon area of Rupganj upazila are dumping untreated industrial waste through canals, which is polluting the environment of the area.

ENERGY reporters at a seminar at the Jatiya Press Club the other day sought to sensitise the potential policy makers of the country to the very pressing need of increasing energy supply in the backdrop of energy starved conditions in the country.

The Oil, Gas, Mineral Resource, Electricity and Port Protection Committee, Rangpur unit formed a human chain in front of the local Press Club on Monday protesting initiatives to lease out 9 blocks in the Bay of Bengal to the foreign company for energy exploration.

Water is not distributed evenly over the globe. Fewer than 10 countries possess 60% of the world's available fresh water supply: Brazil, Russia, China, Canada, Indonesia, U.S., India, Columbia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, local variations within countries can be highly significant.

Less than 3% of the world's water is fresh - the rest is seawater and undrinkable.

That we need 'green' technologies-wind, solar or biomass gasification -- for future energy security is no longer a matter of debate. The critical question, now, is: under what conditions can these emerging technologies be introduced into the market?

The much-talked-about 8th draft coal policy was not approved at the Advisory Council meeting due to strong differences over the issues of payment of royalty, acquisition of land, and quite a large number of ambiguities in it.

Sources at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources told The New Nation yesterday that the draft coal policy was sent back to the ministry concerned for further scrutiny.

Besides, the meeting of the Council of Advisers held on Wednesday in Chittagong suggested to make the draft coal policy smaller in size removing all the ambiguities.

A high-powered committee Monday renewed its position to resolve grinding crisis of gas and power in Chittagong region.

The National Committee, which draws representatives from the government and the private sector, placed a six-point charter of recommendations to free the economically important region of pervasive energy shortages.

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed formed the 15-member committee on July 3 to specially focus on the energy sector, as the government is struggling to feed the energy-hungry factories amid growing demand.

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