Alan Roseling, executive director of Tata Sons, Sukran Singh, executive assistant to Tata Group Chairman, and S Manzer Hossain, Tata resident director in Bangladesh, met the minister yesterday to discuss their plan.

"If we find the proposal viable we may buy power from Tata plants," State Minister for Power Iqbal Hassan Mahmood told The Daily Star yesterday after his meeting with the Tata team.

Tata's earlier plan was to export the electricity to India if the government allows.

Tata representatives told the minister that Bangladesh can save around 1.5 trillion cubic feet (TCF) gas if Tata establishes a coal-based power station instead of a gas-based one.

The minister said Bangladesh will buy power from Tata if it offers lower tariffs with more relaxed conditions than those currently offered by CDC Globelec, which supplies power to the national grid from its Meghnaghat plant.

"We are still facing a power crisis and apprehending it for a few more years. Tata's proposal can help reduce our crisis," the minister added.

The Tata officials expressed their interest to set up their plants at Fulbari or Barapukuria, depending upon coal availability.

The minister said the Power Cell of the Power Division will examine the viability of the plants if Tata makes a formal proposal.

The delegation later called on Industries Minister Matiur Rahman Nizami at his office.

The minister said the government has a positive attitude towards the investment plan of the Indian industrial giant.