December 23: Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) held a discussion with a visiting delegation of industrialists and businessmen of Bangladesh to facilitate trade between the two countries.

During the discussion about increasing commercial activities of the chamber with their Bangladeshi counterparts, the NCC said that commercial activities should be increased by developing road and air infrastructure.

Also, on the occasion of 50 years of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Bangladesh, the business representatives of the two countries reached an agreement to cooperate in the fields of energy, tourism, and industry.

Rajendra Malla, the president of NCC said, “There has been a tripartite agreement between Nepal, India and Bangladesh for energy trade. We call for investment along with its effective implementation.”

President Malla said that the relationship between Nepal and Bangladesh should be expanded from the citizens' side by expanding air connectivity. Regarding the fact that Nepal's trade deficit with Bangladesh is high, he emphasized on the need to search for items with export potential. As Nepal has the potential to reduce the trade deficit through energy trade, he requested for its facilitation and investment in electricity.

Regarding the high demand of energy in Bangladesh, there was a bilateral discussion on various options to export electricity from Nepal. Although there is an agreement on energy trade between Nepal, Bangladesh and India, it has not been practically implemented.

Malla requested the businessmen of Bangladesh to invest in hydropower in Nepal along with the facilitation of electricity trade.

Morol Humayun Kabir, senior vice president of Bangladesh's Chamber of Commerce and Industry emphasized on the need to develop road infrastructure to facilitate trade between the two countries. He said that both the countries should take initiative to connect the air route as well as the land route. Kabir said that they are ready for investment in energy, tourism and other sectors in Nepal, but the chamber should take initiatives for policy facilitation.