Nepal and Bangladesh have reached an agreement for the export of an additional 20 megawatts (MW) of electricity, increasing the current supply from 40 MW to 60 MW.
The understanding was finalized during the seventh meeting of the Nepal–Bangladesh Joint Steering Committee at the energy secretary level, held on Thursday in Dhaka. Nepal’s delegation was led by Energy Secretary Chiranjivi Chataut, while Bangladesh’s delegation was headed by Energy Secretary Farzana Momtaz.
During the meeting, Bangladesh agreed to advance investment procedures for the Sunkoshi-3 Hydropower Project by forming an expert committee to evaluate the project and expedite the Joint Venture Agreement.
Both sides also agreed to study potential transmission routes for electricity export through India, including lines linked to Barapukuria, Panchagarh/Thakurgaon, Bheramara, and Comilla.
They further committed to completing internal processes needed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on renewable energy and energy efficiency. Under the draft MoU, Bangladesh will offer Nepal technical support in areas such as energy auditing, electric vehicle (EV) charging systems, and rooftop solar technologies.
The two nations also agreed to launch a capacity-building program, with Bangladeshi officials receiving training in Kathmandu during the first phase, followed by training for Nepali officials in Bangladesh in the second phase.
According to Nepal’s Ministry of Energy, both countries will jointly work to secure India’s approval for a trilateral energy cooperation framework among Nepal, India, and Bangladesh.
