A decision in principle needs to be made relatively soon, however. There is an eager and active market in India - but there are also other potential sellers, and it will take time both to negotiate the necessary agreements and to construct the pipeline. Current electric power generating capacity barely meets demand. Rural electrification in particular has been shown to be one of the most powerful engines for growth in Bangladesh. A substantial portion of the tax and foreign exchange revenues generated by gas should be set aside to finance the planned expansion of the electric power sector, especially in rural and peri-urban areas.
Education too has an extraordinary transforming power, especially when focused on girls.
Establish an Energy Development Fund. To avoid the pitfalls Nigeria encountered, the fund should have a distinguished and independent Board of Directors, with representation from government, all major political parties, major NGOs, and an international auditing firm. It should enforce stringent transparency requirements, including bidding procedures and a requirement to publish their proceedings and their accounts on a regular basis. This fund should spend on a small number of defined areas, to avoid the risk of spreading resources too thinly. The Board of Directors would be responsible for deciding and announcing the fund's sectors of operation.