Yunus calls for South Asia grid to share hydroelectricity generated by Nepal, Bhutan

Sharing an idea of greater electricity connectivity in the region, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday called for creating a South Asian grid to share the hydroelectricity generated by Nepal and Bhutan.

“Bangladesh can easily bring hydroelectricity from Nepal as it is only 40 miles from Bangladesh. Nepalese hydroelectricity will also be cheap,” Professor Yunus said, adding Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Bhutan should think of creating a South Asian grid, reports UNB.

In a meeting with the Social Business Group on the sidelines of the climate conference in Baku, he said much of the hydroelectricity potentials of the Himalayan nations remain untapped due to a lack of electricity grids connecting Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Bhutan.

Nepal officials have said the country has the potential to generate 40,000 megawatts of hydroelectricity, which can help lessen the reliance on fossil fuels in bigger countries such as India and Bangladesh.

The Chief Adviser, who has joined the COP29 climate conference in the Azerbaijan capital, said Bangladesh has put the highest priority on water management to prevent floods and to make the best use of water to boost the country’s economic growth.

“Water is our main environmental issue. We have to do water management in a way that it supports nature,” Prof Yunus said.

He told the social business meeting that the Interim Government has also stressed youth development and reforming the country’s education system.

Prof Yunus said the government would hold a festival for the youth in January when the country’s cricket board will hold its annual T20 BPL cricket tournament.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino and IOC President Thomas Bach are expected to join the festival. A tournament for women football is also being planned.

“We are trying to hold the festival in all parts of the country,” Prof Yunus said.

Prof Yunus also spoke about the Interim Government’s reform initiatives and the July-August mass uprising, which ended the 15-year-long brutal dictatorship of Sheikh Hasina. He also talked about the key issues in the COP29 and Bangladesh’s current negotiations over carbon credits.