http://www.myrepublica.com/news/14791
According to Mashfee Binte Shams, the ambassador of Bangladesh to Nepal, Bangladesh is ready to invest US$ 1 billion in Nepal. "Bangladesh is open to pursue every possible collaboration in the power sector, be it investment or power trade between the two countries," she said at an interaction organized by Energy Development Council (EDC), in Kathmandu, on Friday.
As the economy of Bangladesh is growing at the rate of over 7 percent, it is a power hungry country, the ambassador said, adding that the current installed capacity of Bangladesh is 15,000 MW but 'still it is not enough'.
Bangladesh has projected its electricity demand to reach 20,000 MW in 2021 and 34,000 MW in 2030, according to the envoy. The Bangladesh government has already proposed to sign an umbrella Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nepal. "Bangladesh is waiting for the positive response from the Nepal government," she added.
Shams also informed that private companies of Bangladesh are also interested in investing in Nepal's hydropower sector. "Bangladesh, with its huge electricity deficit, is actively exploring to generate electricity from wind, solar and other renewable sources," she said, adding that Bangladesh has been importing electricity from India as it has friendly relationship with New Delhi.
If Nepal has to export electricity to Bangladesh, the transmission line has to go through India, as a small section of India lies in between Nepal and Bangladesh. "India will have no problem, if Bangladesh imports electricity from Nepal," she added.
Recently, India has also said that it will have no problem, if Bangladesh imports electricity through its territory. Though, there has been cross border electricity trade -- between Nepal-India, Bhutan-India and India-Bangladesh -- the beginning of power trade with Bangladesh will materialize power trade in the South Asia region as a whole as the regional forum has been continuously discussing on regional power trade.