Kathmandu: Bangladesh has agreed to buy an additional 20 megawatts (MW) of electricity from Nepal, expanding ongoing power trade between the two countries.
The decision was finalized during the seventh meeting of the Energy Secretary Level Nepal-Bangladesh Joint Steering Committee on Energy, held in Dhaka on Thursday. Technical discussions led to the approval, raising Nepal’s electricity export to Bangladesh from the existing 40 MW to a total of 60 MW.
Energy Secretary Chiranjibi Chataut led the Nepali delegation, while Farzana Mamtaz, Secretary at Bangladesh’s Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, represented Bangladesh. The meeting also reviewed recommendations from a joint action committee meeting held on November 26.
Both sides agreed to expedite procedures for signing a memorandum of understanding aimed at promoting renewable energy and improving energy efficiency. Bangladesh will offer Nepal technical assistance in energy testing, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and rooftop solar systems. The two countries also committed to advancing capacity-building programmes to strengthen cooperation in the energy sector.
The secretary-level steering committee continues to focus on enhancing bilateral power trade and sharing development experiences in energy collaboration.