A high-profile meeting of energy experts Tuesday called for developing power and gas grids, creating petroleum reserves and procuring oil on a regional basis to ensure energy security in South Asia, reports BDNEWS. The call was made at the opening session of a two-day semi-annual meeting of the "USAID South Asia Regional Initiative for Energy" that began in the city Tuesday. Over 100 experts from SAARC countries and Afghanistan are taking part in the meeting. Energy Adviser Mahmudur Rahman told the meeting that a power grid covering Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Bhutan and Pakistan has huge potential. Making a proposal, he said the SAARC Energy Centre, to be set up in Islamabad, can work on it. "Mutual mistrust is not helping us. We have to cooperate with each other and that did not happen in the past. We need confidence building initiatives. We have to forget the past," said Mahmudur Rahman, also the executive chairman of the Board of Investment. "We can start now," he said adding, “Countries will have to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and increase use of renewable energy.” "Civilisation can't survive with 50 per cent of the people without access to energy," he said. He also put emphasis on sharing experiences and energy resources among countries, a move that would provide mutual benefits. US Charge D' Affaires Judith Chammas suggested a regional approach for the betterment of South Asia. One fifth of the world population live in this part of the globe and the per capita energy consumption, which is 289 kg oil equivalent, is one of the lowest in the world, according to the experts. Speaking on "update on progress of regional energy security initiatives," the experts said a mono source of energy is a problem for the countries of South Asia that have to spend huge amounts of foreign exchange for petroleum imports. Apart from renewable energy, they also referred to alternative options and said the hydropower of Bhutan and Nepal, gas and coal of Bangladesh and India can be used for mutual benefits. Economist Abul Barakat, who carried out a gigantic study on rural electrification with World Bank's support, said only energy trade between Dhaka and New Delhi can reduce the trade gap which is now heavily in favour of India.
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