Nepal, Bangladesh stress sharing experiences for smooth LDC graduation

KATHMANDU: Nepal and Bangladesh have highlighted the importance of sharing experiences and best practices to ensure a smooth, sustainable, and irreversible graduation from the Least Developed Countries (LDC) category in 2026.

During a courtesy call on the Chief Adviser of the Interim Government of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, at his office in Dhaka on Tuesday afternoon, Nepali Ambassador to Bangladesh, Ghanshyam Bhandari, emphasised the need to unlock potential in trade, transit, and connectivity for economic development, according to the Nepali Embassy in Dhaka.

The discussions focused on further strengthening Nepal-Bangladesh relations with a renewed emphasis on economic linkages. Ambassador Bhandari underscored energy cooperation as a 'win-win enterprise' between the two nations. He highlighted the early commencement of exporting 40MW of hydroelectricity from Nepal to Bangladesh via Indian transmission lines as a transformative step in enhancing sub-regional energy cooperation.

Ambassador Bhandari also expressed satisfaction with the increasing people-to-people contacts, educational linkages, and tourism exchanges between the two countries. Chief Adviser Yunus stressed the benefits of harnessing hydropower potential, particularly in achieving a net-zero emission scenario, and called for the early realisation of this mutually beneficial cooperation.

The Ambassador thanked the Bangladeshi government for its support and cooperation regarding the safety and security of Nepali nationals, especially students, during and after recent protests. He expressed hope that this support would continue in the future.

Discussions also covered Nepal-Bangladesh cooperation at regional and international forums, underscoring the importance of revitalising regional processes such as SAARC and BIMSTEC.

Ambassador Bhandari congratulated the Chief Adviser on his appointment and handed over a letter of felicitations from Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli. Referring to the Prime Minister’s letter and the press statement issued on August 7, 2024 by the Government of Nepal, the Ambassador reiterated Nepal's solidarity with Bangladesh during its current transitional period.

Chief Adviser Yunus appreciated Nepal's expression of support and solidarity, noting the close and cordial relations between the two countries at both political and people-to-people levels.

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