KATHMANDU, Nov 27— Nepal and Bangladesh have agreed to expand cross-border electricity trade, with Bangladesh set to purchase an additional 20 MW of power from Nepal.
The decision was reached during the seventh meeting of the Energy Secretary Level Nepal–Bangladesh Joint Steering Committee on Energy, held on Thursday in Dhaka. Nepal currently exports 40 MW of electricity to Bangladesh.
According to Sandeep Kumar Dev, spokesperson for Nepal’s Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, both sides agreed to move ahead after completing the required technical preparations for the expanded supply.
The Nepali delegation was led by Energy Secretary Chiranjibi Chataut, while Bangladesh was represented by Farzana Mamtaz, Secretary at the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources. The meeting also reviewed recommendations submitted by the Joint Action Committee on November 26.
Dev said the steering committee discussed six key agendas, including the advancement of renewable energy cooperation and long-term power trade frameworks. The two countries agreed to finalize internal procedures and sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency.
Under the planned cooperation, Bangladesh will extend technical support to Nepal in areas such as energy testing, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and rooftop solar systems. The two sides will also expand capacity-building programmes in the energy sector.
The secretary-level steering committee serves as the principal bilateral mechanism for enhancing power trade, strengthening energy collaboration, and sharing sectoral expertise between Nepal and Bangladesh.
