Friday, January 13 2006 17:28 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Dhaka: A decision on Tata Group's 2.5 billion dollar investment in Bangladesh for setting up power, steel and fertilizer plants will be taken by the end of this month so that a deal could be sealed in February, a top official here said today (Jan 13,2006).

Both sides were trying to end negotiations by the end of January to seal a deal next month, Mahmudur Rahman, the head of state-run Board of Investment (BOI) and also Bangladesh government's Energy Advisor, said.

"We will send it (Tata proposal) to the cabinet after the end of this month in whatever shape it maybe in," he told the private NTV channel.

Bangladesh and Tata will start another round of negotiations on January 22.

Last talks this month looked optimistic, with S Manser Hussain, Tata's Resident Director in Dhaka, saying that, "At the pace we are going now and BOI chief's encouraging words that some outcome might be coming in February we think it is very possible. things are gaining momentum."

"Time has now come for a final decision," he told sources earlier, adding that he agreed that a political decision was important before such mega projects.