Kathmandu: Nepal and Bangladesh have agreed to strengthen their energy partnership during the 7th meeting of the Joint Steering Committee (JSC), held on November 26 in Dhaka. The meeting was co-chaired by Nepal’s Energy Secretary Chiranjeevi Chataut and Bangladesh’s Power Secretary Farhana Ahmed.
During the discussions, Bangladesh agreed to import an additional 20 megawatts of electricity from Nepal, adding to the 40 megawatts it already purchases. The two countries also decided to move ahead with investment work on Nepal’s Sunkoshi-3 Hydropower Project. For this, Bangladesh will form an expert team to evaluate the project and help finalize the joint venture agreement.
Both sides also agreed to study possible routes for exporting electricity from Nepal to Bangladesh through India. Nepal and Bangladesh will soon sign an MoU on renewable energy and energy efficiency, under which Bangladesh will provide technical support to Nepal in areas such as energy auditing, electric vehicle charging, and rooftop solar systems.
In addition, the two countries will begin capacity-building programs, starting with training sessions in Kathmandu for Bangladeshi officials, followed by similar programs in Bangladesh for Nepali officials. They also committed to jointly working to secure India’s approval for a tri-national energy cooperation agreement.
The meeting concluded in a positive and friendly atmosphere, with both nations expressing commitment to deepening long-term cooperation in electricity trade and energy development.
