In a bid to bolster collaboration in the power and energy sector, Bangladesh expresses its intent to import a substantial 9,000MW of electricity from neighboring countries, primarily focusing on opportunities with India. State Minister for Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid disclosed this during a meeting with Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma at the ministry’s office.
Nasrul Hamid shared that significant progress has been made in the process of importing hydro-electricity from Nepal and Bhutan. Notably, a deal to import 40MW of hydro-power from Nepal is expected to be signed next month. Additionally, the import of 500MW of electricity from Nepal through the Indian company GMR is nearing finalization, along with ongoing efforts in renewable energy imports.
Discussions also touched upon the potential for import and export collaborations with Meghalaya, Tripura, or Assam. Nasrul Hamid emphasized the nearly concluded arrangements for importing LNG and gas through H-Energy.
Highlighting the importance of increased connectivity with neighboring countries, especially India, Nasrul Hamid stressed the need for dedicated power lines from Nepal to Bangladesh, benefitting both nations.
The state minister proposed regular monthly stakeholder meetings to expand areas of cooperation, suggesting potential collaboration on bio-fuel initiatives. He also emphasized the growing demand for LPG and urged active consideration for Bangladeshi private investors to engage in these sectors in India.
In response, the Indian High Commissioner acknowledged the growing cooperation between India and Bangladesh in the power and energy sector. He highlighted the ongoing import of hydropower from Nepal to Bangladesh and India’s import of about 600MW of electricity from Nepal.
Key topics discussed included high voltage transmission lines, renewable energy, import-export dynamics, R-LNG, fuel capacity enhancement, energy efficiency, and future regional connectivity, underscoring the depth of collaboration between the two nations.
