March 15, 2006	Wednesday	Safar 14, 1427

DHAKA, March 14: The government of Bangladesh would assess possible impact of proposed $3 billion Tata investment on the country’s overall economy, to make sure that it does not run into political difficulties by signing a deal with the Indian conglomerate.

“Whatever deal is struck with Tata, it must be fair to avert any political difficulties for the incumbent government,” Bangladesh’s finance minister M Saifur Rahman Saifur told newsmen after a meeting with a Tata delegation on Tuesday.

S Manzer Hossain, resident director of Tata group and T Mukharjee, deputy managing director, Tata Steel, were among those who were at the meeting.

“We must be convinced that the proposed investment would have a positive impact on the country’s economy, especially on export and employment fronts as well as on the balance of payment situation,” said Saifur Rahman.

The minister said that dispute over the price of gas to be consumed by Tata’s proposed industrial outlets was yet to be settled, as the government believed the price should be fixed in line with the price of crude oil in international markets. “But the Tata officials seemed to be thinking in a different way.”

The finance minister also said that the issue of Tata’s investment might come up during prime minister Khaleda Zia’s upcoming visit to India.