Environmental Site Clearance

Asia Energy PLC
01 April 2005


                                  NEWS RELEASE

1 April 2005

   Bangladesh Government gives Environmental Site Clearance to Asia Energy's
                             Phulbari Coal Project

Asia Energy PLC ('Asia Energy' or 'the Company') announced today that the
Government of Bangladesh had given its Phulbari Coal Project Environmental Site
Clearance.

The decision by the Department of Environment ('DOE') to endorse the Company's
plans for an open cast coal mine at Phulbari in north-west Bangladesh paves the
way for formal government approval of the scheme.

'Environmental Site Clearance is a major step towards starting a world class
open cast coal mining operation at Phulbari,' said Mr David Lenigas, Asia
Energy's Joint Managing Director. 'The fact that the DOE has given this
Environmental Site Clearance considerably ahead of schedule demonstrates the
commitment of the Government of Bangladesh to this very significant resource
project.'

The Department of the Environment issued its Environmental Site Clearance for
the Project after evaluating plans for the mine, including an 'Initial
Environmental Examination' prepared by its environmental consultants, SMEC
International Pty Ltd.

SMEC is currently working on a full Environmental Impact Assessment for the
Project which is due to be submitted to the Government in mid-2005.

For Further Information please contact:

David Lenigas, Joint Managing Director/
Michael Frayne, Joint Managing Director
Asia Energy PLC
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]

Cathy Malins/Justine Howarth
Parkgreen Communications
Tel: [phone]
[e-mail]

Evolution Securities/ JP Morgan Cazenove
Chris Sim/ Michael Wentworth-Stanley
Tel: [phone]




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