Bangladesh has requested Bhutan, the only South Asian country with surplus energy available for export, to consider it as a partner in generating electricity jointly from the landlocked state’s large reserves of untapped hydropower resources.
Bangladesh came up with the call at a two-day commerce secretary level meeting between Bangladesh and Bhutan that concluded at Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institute office in the city yesterday.
Commerce Ministry Senior Secretary Hedayetullah Al Mamoon headed a 17-member Bangladesh delegation while Economic Affairs Secretary of Bhutan Dasho Yeshi Wangdi led a 10-member Bhutanese team.
“We need nore power as capacity of electricity generation is not adequate comparing to the local demand in Bangladesh. That is why, we want not only to import but also to take part in the process of hydro power generation through equity or partnership basis,” Bangladesh Commerce Ministry Additional Secretary Monoj Kumer Roy told the reporters while briefing the reporters on the outcome of the two-day meeting.
He also said, “Bhutan has in principal agreed with the Bangladeshi proposal.”
“From Bhutanese side, we need to work on the regional format as there is no direct border between the two countries. There is someone here in between us,” said Bhutan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs Joint Secretary Sonam P Wangdi.
Responding to a question, Monoj said: “As there are other partners in the way of our development, we need to take other arrangements, which might take some time.”
In reality, Bangladesh and Bhutan will have to sign an agreement with India if the two countries wanted to make the deal for exporting power through the territory of India.
During the meeting, both sides decided to formulate an inland waterways agreement between the two countries, so Bhutan can use Chittagong Port and Mongla Port in Bangladesh.
“As a joint group in 2013 recommended use of inland waterways of Bangladesh as feasible, we invited Bangladesh to come to Bhutan to finalise inland waterways agreement,” Wangdi told the reporters.
The other meeting decisions are– agreement on signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution and Bhutan Standards Bureau to resolve the certification related problems in borders, formulation of a tourism package between both countries, formation of a MoU between Bhutan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, ensuring easy VISA process for Bangladeshi traders etc.