The 4th SAARC energy ministers meeting today reviewed the draft SAARC inter governmental framework agreement on Energy co-operation. Addressing a press conference at the end of day long ministerial level conference, Bangladesh’s state minister for energy Mohammad Enamul Haque said the draft of the framework agreement was reviewed and it is expected that the agreement will be finalized soon. The ministerial meeting also adopted the SAARC Regional Energy Trade study. The ministers also decided to conduct studies for technical standardization and Harmonisation to facilitate electricity exchange among the Saarc nations. Earlier addressing the inaugural session in the morning, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stressed on the need for SAARC member countries to collectively address the challenge of energy needs. She said, that as we embark on ensuring regionaleconomic integration and inter-dependence, there is a huge potential to share knowledge, technology and resources in the energy sector to facilitate sustainable development. Union Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde who led the Indian delegation at the meeting said that the countries in the region are taking some concrete steps to establish basic inter-connections on a bilateral basis which will form the building blocks of the ultimate goal of a regional grid-connectivity. He also expressed India’s willingness to share its best practices and energy efficiency programmes with the member countries.