The seventh meeting of the Bangladesh–Nepal Joint Steering Committee on Power Sector Cooperation convened in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on 27 November, led by Ms. Farzana Mamtaz, Secretary of Bangladesh Power Division, and Mr. Chiranjeewee Chataut, Secretary, Ministry of Energy of the Government of Nepal. The meeting focused on strengthening bilateral collaboration in electricity trade and renewable energy development, with detailed discussions on joint investment in hydropower projects and electricity import arrangements.

Key outcomes and discussions included:

• Import of electricity from Nepal using existing cross-border transmission lines through India, requiring tripartite coordination among Bangladesh, India, and Nepal
• Plans to import an additional 20MW of electricity using the existing HVDC system at Bheramara
• Exploration of private sector investment opportunities in Nepalese hydropower plants
• Potential electricity exports from Bangladesh to Nepal during winter when Bangladesh's generation capacity exceeds domestic demand
• Cancellation of the letter of intent for importing 500MW from the Upper Karnali Hydropower Project following Bangladesh's repeal of the Quick Enhancement of Electricity and Energy Supply Act 2010
• Cooperation in renewable energy development, with Bangladesh sharing its experience from the Rooftop Solar Programme currently generating around 3,000MW

The meeting emphasized the importance of transparency and competition in the power sector while exploring mutually beneficial opportunities for electricity trade and knowledge sharing between the two countries.

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Bangladesh–Nepal JSC meeting on power sector cooperation convened