BD to import 9,000 megawatts from Nepal: Nasrul

BSS: State Minister for Power, Energy and
Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid yesterday said Bangladesh has a plan to import 9,000 megawatts electricity from Nepal to mitigate the increasing demand of
electricity by 2040.
The state minister said this while addressing a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) signing deal over the cooperation in power sector between
Bangladesh and Nepal yesterday.
“There is an enormous possibility of generating hydro-electricity in
Nepal,” he said, adding that to explore this possibility, Bangladesh wants to
import hydro-power from Nepal under the regional cooperation.
Bangladesh is now importing 660 megawatts electricity from India, said
the state minister, adding that import process of 500 megawatts electricity
from the neighbouring country has also nearly been finalised.
This deal will prepare a platform for the power sector which would
increase cooperation in power exchange, power trading, greed line connection,
hydro-power development and renewable energy extension, the minister noted.
Even this sort of cooperation will also be benefited for both countries,
he said, adding the deal will encourage the people and the private sector of
the two countries on the power sector.
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid
signed the MoU on behalf of Bangladesh while his Nepalese counterpart Energy,
Water Resources and Irrigation Affairs Minister Barshaman Pun Ananta signed
it on behalf of Nepal.
“Nepal has taken Bangladesh as a model for development of the
electricity,” said the Nepalese minister in his speech.
Nasrul Hamid also invited the Nepalese delegation team including the
Nepalese Energy, Water Resource and Irrigation Affairs Minister to visit
Bangladesh for joining the ‘Power and Energy Week’-2018 which will be
observed from September 6-8.
Meanwhile, Nasrul made a courtesy call on Nepalese Prime Minister Khadga
Prasad Oli at his office in Kathmandu today.