COP29: Yunus calls for South Asian power grid

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus today proposed the creation of a South Asian electricity grid to harness and share hydroelectric power generated by Nepal and Bhutan.
“Bangladesh can easily access affordable hydroelectricity from Nepal, which is only 40 miles away,” he said advocating for regional collaboration to unlock the vast hydroelectric potential of the Himalayan nations.
The adviser made these remarks at a meeting with the Social Business Group on the sidelines of the climate conference in Baku.
He emphasised that such a grid would help meet energy demands sustainably across Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Bhutan.
Nepal alone has the capacity to generate 40,000 megawatts, according to officials, a resource that could reduce reliance on fossil fuels in larger countries like India and Bangladesh.
Yunus also highlighted Bangladesh’s focus on water management to prevent flooding and bolster economic growth, calling it the country’s top environmental priority.
“We need water management that supports nature,” he said.
Yunus further discussed Bangladesh’s youth development initiatives, including an upcoming nationwide youth festival coinciding with the January T20 BPL cricket tournament.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino and IOC President Thomas Bach are expected to attend, and a women’s football tournament is also in the works, he said.
The adviser additionally addressed the interim government’s recent reforms and the July-August uprising that ended the 15-year rule of Sheikh Hasina.
He discussed Bangladesh’s ongoing negotiations over carbon credits at the climate summit.