Nepal Expresses Interest in Supplying More Hydropower to Bangladesh

Baku, November 18 – Nepal has expressed keen interest in providing additional hydropower to Bangladesh, according to Syeda Rizwana Hasan, the Advisor on Environment, Forest, and Climate Change for Bangladesh. The interest was conveyed during a bilateral meeting with Nepal’s Environment Minister, A. Bahadur Shahi Thakuri, held at the Bangladesh Pavilion during the Global Climate Summit in Baku.

Advisor Rizwana Hasan emphasized the need for regional cooperation involving Bhutan, Nepal, and India to facilitate this process. She noted that the upcoming ministerial meeting in January will focus on addressing climate change risks, with participation from Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal. While the venue for the meeting is yet to be decided, the discussions will center on mitigation, adaptation, and loss and damage related to climate change.

Highlighting the importance of collaborative efforts on loss and damage, Rizwana Hasan called for greater unity among South Asian countries to combat the impacts of climate change. "Smaller countries have significantly lower capacities to address climate challenges compared to larger nations. Regional collaboration is essential for effective climate action," she remarked.

Nepal's Foreign Minister echoed this sentiment, stating that the impacts of climate change are shared across South Asia, transcending geographical boundaries. "Climate change knows no borders. To mitigate its effects, we must work together as a unified region," he said.

The meeting was also attended by Dr. Farhina Ahmed, Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change of Bangladesh, along with other officials. The discussions highlighted the urgency of joint initiatives to tackle climate-related challenges faced by the region.

This development underscores the growing need for cross-border collaboration on energy sharing and climate resilience to safeguard the future of South Asia amid escalating climate risks.