On Wednesday, Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus urged the creation of a South Asia grid to facilitate the sharing of hydroelectricity produced by Nepal and Bhutan, reports UNB.
In a meeting with the Social Business Group on the sidelines of the climate conference in Baku, the Chief Adviser said much of the hydroelectricity prospects 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 assist lessen the reliance on fossil fuels in bigger countries such as India and Bangladesh.
"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.
The Chief Adviser who has joined the COP29 climate conference in the Azerbaijan capital, said Bangladesh has put the top 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," the Chief Adviser said.
He told the social business meeting that the Interim Government has also stressed youth development and reforming the country's education system.
Professor 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 match.
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," he said.
Professor Yunus also addressed the Interim Government's reform initiatives and the July-August mass uprising, which brought an end to Sheikh Hasina's 15-year-long brutal dictatorship.
Additionally, he discussed key issues at COP29 and Bangladesh's ongoing negotiations regarding carbon credits.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
