The government is preparing to sign power export agreement with Bangladesh on Thursday (tomorrow).
A team from Bangladesh is arriving Kathmandu, according to a source at the Energy Ministry.
Nepal and Bangladesh, earlier, tried to sign the agreements twice but was postponed due to the political unrest in Bangladesh. “Bangladeshi Minister for Environment (Environmental Advisor to the Interim Government) Syeda Rizwana Hasan is coming to Nepal on Wednesday,” confirmed energy secretary Suresh Acharya. “Two agreements – one between Nepal and Bangladesh and the other between Nepal, Bangladesh and India – will be signed,” he added.
Earlier, Nepali ambassador to Bangladesh Ghana Shyam Bhandari, met with the representatives of the Interim Government of Bangladesh and reminded them of the power deal reached between Nepal and Bangladesh.
A week earlier, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli met with Chief of Interim Government of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, in New York during the 79th General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) on September 26.
They also discussed the power trade agreement in the sideline meeting of the UNGC.
“I held a meeting with Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus in New York,” Prime Minister Oli said, adding that the discussions with Prof Yunus included cooperation on electricity, transport, tourism and education, bilateral ties.
Nepali Electricity Authority (NEA) is also going to sign a power trade deal with the Power Development Board of Bangladesh for the implementation of the power deal between the two South Asian nations.
Earlier government led by Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina had agreed to purchase electricity at 6.40 cents. “If things go as agreed, Bangladesh will purchase electricity worth Rs 7.39 billion in the period of five years,” according to the Energy Ministry.