Staff Correspondent

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus and Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli today discussed enhancing energy, trade and economic cooperation between Bangladesh and Nepal.

They spoke about the cooperation at their bilateral meeting at the UN headquarters here on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Wednesday afternoon (local time) as the two leaders acknowledged the growing presence of Nepalese students in Bangladesh.

"Delighted to meet with Chief Adviser Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus. Discussed Nepal-Bangladesh relations, focusing on energy and transit cooperation, tourism, cultural exchanges, educational ties, and cooperation in regional/multilateral forums," the Nepal’s prime minister said.

About the outcomes of the meeting, Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said a cordial meeting was held between Prof Yunus and KP Sharma Oli.

During the meeting, they discussed how energy and trade cooperation can be enhanced between the two countries in the future, he said.

The press secretary said Nepal has surplus hydro energy while it will be able to export hydro power to the South Asian countries, including Bangladesh, within two or three years, and the issue was discussed in the meeting.

He said Bangladesh has a long and deeper relation with Nepal and the people-to-people interactions between the two neighbours are very deep.

Mentioning that many Nepalese students come to Bangladesh every year to study, Alam said Prof Yunus and Oli discussed ways to enhance energy, trade and economic cooperation between Bangladesh and Nepal.

He said Bangladesh will likely sign an agreement to import 40 megawatts power from Nepal.

Alam said the Bangladesh chief adviser shared his three zero idea with the Nepalese premier.

Prof Yunus also met USAID Administrator Samantha Power, Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif, UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Turk, World Bank President Ajay Banga and CEO of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Mark Suzman on the UNGA sidelines.

He also addressed a UN high-level event on Social Business, Youth and Technology, and met with a group of human rights CSOs.

He joined a conversation on climate change by The New York Times (livestreamed from NYT studio).