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.
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.
