The fifth Bangladesh-Nepal joint steering committee (JSC) meeting on energy cooperation held on 16 May 2023 in Patuakhali, Bangladesh, discussed greater bilateral cooperation in the power sector and highlighted the export of power from Nepal to Bangladesh via India at the soonest possible time. Mr. Habibur Rahman, Ministry of Electricity, Energy and Mineral Resources of the Government of Bangladesh, and Mr. Kumar Ghimi, Power, Water Resources and Irrigation Secretary of the Government of Nepal, led their respective country delegations.

Both countries agreed to undertake efforts to sign a tripartite agreement with India that would enable Nepal to export 40 MW of power to Bangladesh as early as the upcoming wet season (June-November) using the existing transmission infrastructure of all three countries, according to Mr. Madhu Bhetuwal, spokesperson, Nepal’s Energy Ministry, via the India Narrative. Parties to the planned tripartite agreement will be the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) and the NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited (NVVN) of India. In line with this, NEA has sent a request to India for the sale of the power generated by the 52.4 MW Likhu-4 project to Bangladesh through India’s existing transmission infrastructure.

Furthermore, Bangladesh and Nepal agreed to undertake efforts to create a high-level trilateral administrative mechanism with India for cooperation in power trade and the power sector, and development of cross-border transmission infrastructure.

The meeting discussions included the following:

• Hydropower plants in Nepal to be constructed under joint Bangladesh and Nepal investment;
• Import of electricity from Nepal using existing interconnection grid lines over India;
• Construction of new transmission lines, details of which will be further be decided through the Bangladesh-India-Nepal tripartite agreement;
• Signing of the agreement on the import of 500 MW of electricity from the 900 MW Upper Karnali hydropower plant to Bangladesh. The plant is being implemented in Nepal by India’s GMR Group;
  Investment in Nepal hydropower plants;
• Feasibility of inter-country dedicated transmission line for direct power connection between Bangladesh and Nepal; and
• Bangladesh private sector investment in Nepal power generation. Nepal committed to taking necessary facilitation measures to attract Bangladesh's private sector in Nepal’s hydropower sector.

Both delegations also exchanged experiences, knowledge, and expertise in the expansion of renewable energy. Bangladesh and Nepal agreed to undertake capacity building activities in the power sector.

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