Dhaka, Kathmandu review progresses on power sector cooperation

Dhaka and Kathmandu have reviewed the progress in their bilateral and regional cooperation on power sector at the 5th joint steering committee (JSC) meeting held at Payra power plant office in Patuakhali.

Bangladesh and Nepal reviewed the details of the construction of a hydropower plant in Nepal through joint venture investment and the import of electricity from Nepal using interconnecting transmission lines through neighbouring India.

Bangladesh planned to import 500 MW of electricity from Indian company GMR’s 900 MW Upper Karnali power station through the new line.

Power Secretary Habir Rahman led the Bangladesh delegation in the meeting, while Nepal's Power, Water Resources and Irrigation Secretary Dinesh Kumar Kumar Ghimire led the delegation of his country in the meeting, said a press release of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources.

It mentioned that the meeting opined that the issue of the construction of a new dedicated cross border transmission line that will come from Nepal to Bangladesh through India should be settled through a tripartite meeting between Dhaka, Kathmandu and New Delhi.

The meeting also reviewed the issue of private sector investment from Bangladesh in the Nepalese hydropower sector, while both sides agreed to enhance cooperation for capacity building among the power sector officials of both the countries.

Bangladesh offered its training facilities to Nepal to enhance capacity building.

The 5th meeting of the joint working committee of Bangladesh and Nepal was also held in the same venue on Sunday.