Kathmandu: Ambassador of Bangladesh to Nepal, Salahuddin Noman Chowdhury, paid a courtesy call on Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Dipak Khadka, today.
In a meeting held at the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, they discussed matters relating to Nepal-Bangladesh cooperation in energy and water resources sectors.
Stating about the ‘abundant’ potential for hydropower development in Nepal, the Minister said the meeting would be meaningful in deepening the energy cooperation between the two countries amidst increasing energy needs in Bangladesh.
Minister Khadka expressed his confidence that an upcoming meeting among secretaries and joint secretaries of both countries will be fruitful as the meeting will see discussions and decisions on various significant issues including cooperation on large hydroelectric projects, agreement on cross-border transmission lines with the Indian side, and the initiation of electricity trade.
He said the historic power trade agreement will be signed by the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), Bangladesh Power Development and Power Trading Corporation, PTC India, expressing his confidence in the necessary support from the Embassy to finalize procedures for signing a joint venture between the NEA and Bangladesh Development Board for the development of the 680-MW Sunkoshi reservoir hydropower project.
The meeting was attended by Secretary of the Ministry of Energy Gopal Prasad Sigdel, senior energy experts from the ministry, and other officials.
In response, the ambassador said Bangladesh wanted to promote the trade ties between the two countries by signing a power purchase agreement for 40 MW with Nepal.
He pledged support from Bangladesh in the production and trade of power and the development of transmission lines in Nepal.
The Bangladesh ambassador also promised support to introduce a new technology that Bangladesh applies in agriculture to for the increase of production in Nepal, too.
Ministry officials including secretary Gopal Prasad Sigdel and senior energy expert Prabal Adhikari were also present in the meeting. (RSS)
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