Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Deepak Khadka has said that the historic tripartite electricity trade agreement between Nepal Electricity Authority, Bangladesh Power Development Board and Electricity Trading Corporation of India will be signed soon.

He said that Nepal will use the Indian transmission line to export electricity to Bangladesh during the rainy season, which will open the door for electricity trade between the two countries.

Energy Minister Khadka and Bangladesh Ambassador to Nepal Salahuddin Noman Chaudhary discussed various issues of energy cooperation between Nepal and Bangladesh in a meeting held on Sunday.

Energy Minister Khadka mentioned that Bangladesh will assist Nepal in the development of power generation, trade and transmission lines.

He said that the meeting has helped to deepen the cooperation between the two countries as there is a huge potential of hydropower in Nepal and there is a growing need for energy in Bangladesh.

Khadka expressed confidence that the upcoming meeting of the two countries' secretaries and joint secretaries will be fruitful as various important issues including cooperation in the construction of large hydropower projects, the agreement of the Indian side on the international transmission line and the start of electricity trade will be discussed and decided.

According to Minister Khadka, if the necessary process for signing a joint venture agreement between Nepal Electricity Authority and Bangladesh Power Development Board for the construction and development of Sunkoshi Reservoir Hydroelectric Project of 680 MW goes ahead, the necessary initiative will be taken from the embassy.

Bangladesh Ambassador Chowdhury said that Bangladesh will soon advance the energy cooperation between Nepal and Bangladesh by signing a 40 MW power purchase agreement. Chowdhury said that Bangladesh is producing more from less land in the agricultural sector through the latest irrigation technology and will provide necessary support to introduce this technology to Nepal.

Although all matters including the price have been finalized for the sale of 40 megawatts of electricity to Bangladesh, the final agreement has not been reached. Earlier, the date of the agreement was fixed on July 13, but due to the political developments in Bangladesh, the date of the agreement was shifted.

According to the Ministry of Energy, since then, the contract is being negotiated to sell electricity in September and October and November.