The proposal, submitted Sunday, covers the development, financing, construction, ownership, operation and maintenance of the plant, which will consume 1.5 million tonnes per annum of coal from the company’s mine.

The opencut mine, still awaiting approval by the Bangladesh government, will be the largest coal mine in the country, producing 15Mtpa over 35 years.

Plant construction is scheduled to start in late 2007 and the plant will be in operational by 2011.