By Nepal Desk

Recently, the South Asian countries Bangladesh and Nepal intended to have a trade that suits the interest of both countries. In this regard, Bangladesh is seeking and willing to import Nepal’s electricity and proposed to supply it to Nepal during the dry season. Nepal and Bangladesh discussed the power trade, and investment in 2 hydel projects.

The Bilateral power trade and attracting Bangladeshi investment in Nepal’s two hydropower projects will be the agenda for discussions during the next high-level bilateral meeting expected to take place between the two countries in July.

Nepal will host the fourth meeting of the joint working group and joint steering committee between the two countries in Kathmandu. Although Nepal proposed to hold the meeting in late June, the Bangladeshi side has wished to convene the meeting in late July. Electricity export and import will be high on the agenda in the context to promote regional energy connectivity.

During the third bilateral meeting of the joint working group and joint steering committee held in September last year, the two countries had agreed to develop a dedicated transmission line by taking India on board.

As per the Joint Vision Statement on Power Sector Cooperation released in early April during Prime Minister's visit to Delhi, Nepal and India agreed to expand cooperation in the power sector by incorporating other partner countries under the Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal Initiative (BBIN) framework, subject to mutually agreed upon terms and conditions between all involved parties.

In this way, India seeks to sway multilateral forums such as BBIN and BIMSTEC for its regional interests. BIMSTEC is the short form for the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-sectorial Technical and Economic Cooperation.

Currently, there are cross-border transmission lines between Nepal and India and India and Bangladesh. However, there are no trilateral arrangements for electricity trade. And India has already expressed its support to the idea of transmission interconnectivity among BIMSTEC member countries.

During the third BIMSTEC Energy Ministers’ Meeting held in Kathmandu in April, member countries approved the establishment of the BIMSTEC Grid interconnection Coordination Committee to implement its agenda.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the establishment of the BIMSTEC Grid Interconnection has been signed in this regard. Bangladesh has already agreed to import 500MW of electricity from the 900MW Upper Karnali Hydropower Project. Indian Company GMR has received the construction license to develop this project.

Bangladesh has also proposed Nepal buy Bangladeshi power in the winter, and this would also be the topic of debate during the proposed bilateral meeting. Meanwhile, the two countries will also discuss developing two storage-type hydropower projects—683MW Sunkoshi-3 Hydropower Project and Khimti Sivalaya Hydropower Project with Bangladeshi investment.

When the two sides held a virtual meeting in September last year, they had agreed to work together to explore the possibility of developing the Sunkoshi-3 Hydropower Project with Bangladeshi investment.

As per the ministry’s press statement last year, the Bangladeshi side was supposed to send a team to conduct field visits at the proposed site of the Sunkoshi-3 Hydropower Project by December last year. The project site straddles Ramechhap and Kavrepalanchok districts.

Its feasibility study has been completed but its Environment Impact Assessment Report has not yet been approved by the Ministry of Forest and Environment. Authorities have, however, yet to determine the capacity of the proposed Khimti Sivalaya Hydropower Project to be developed in Dolakha and Ramechhap districts. In the ongoing feasibility study, its capacity might be in the range of 1100MW to 1720MW.

The power trade and cooperation between both countries will promote regional cooperation on energy in the context of the Nepal, and Bangladesh agreements. This will usher in a new era of prosperity and advancement in the South Asian Region.

DHAKA, 18 June 2022, (TON): The flood situation has deteriorated in Sylhet and Sunamganj districts in the last 24 hours as the water level of all the major rivers of these districts have already crossed the danger level.

Over 20 lakh people under 20 upazilas of the two districts have been marooned due to flood.

Majibor Rahman, Deputy Commissioner of Sylhet today confirmed that the flood situation has further worsened in the last 24 hours.

He added “Army has been deployed in the district for providing assistance and carrying relief materials to the flood affected people of the district.”

Meanwhile, Sylhet city has already been inundated by the flood water due to continuous rainfall for the last four days.

NEW DELHI, 18 June 2022, (TON): Prime Minister Narendra Modi said “each state must recognise its strength and define a target as this is crucial for India to become a USD 5-trillion economy.”

PM Modi was chairing the first three-day national conference of chief secretaries, which concluded on Friday at Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh. The conference began on June 15.

The prime minister said in a tweet "had productive deliberations during today's proceedings at the National Conference of Chief Secretaries. We exchanged views on important policy issues including leveraging technology and strengthening our economy.”

An official statement said “appreciating the extensive sessions, the prime minister said the deliberations were useful in laying out a roadmap for the sectors.”

The statement said, quoting PM Modi "the prime minister said every state must recognise its strength, define its targets and develop a roadmap to achieve the same. This is essential for India to become a 5-trillion-dollar economy.”

DHAKA, 18 June 2022, (TON): Flight operations, including take-off and landing of aircrafts, have been suspended at Sylhet Osmani International Airport as the flood water has reached near the runway.

Flood situation in Sylhet region has taken a serious turn due to onrush of water from the upstream and torrential rains over the last several days.

All the flights have been suspended at the airport. Sylhet Osmani International Airport manager Hafiz Ahmed confirmed the information.

Sources concerned said the flight operation at the airport continued till Friday afternoon. But the airport’s runway shoulders have gone under water.

Sylhet Deputy Commissioner Md Mujibur Rahman said “as the flood situation in Sylhet deteriorates, the army has been deployed for rescue and relief operations. They have started the rescue operation.”

He said “the cooperation of the navy has also been sought.”

DHAKA, 18 June 2022, (TON): US ambassador to Bangladesh, Peter Haas, has reiterated “the United States has no preference for any particular party or platform in Bangladesh’s political arena, but rather wants to see an ‘open and competitive process’ play out ahead of the next national election.”

He said “I want to be very clear that the US has no preference. We have no vote. We don’t favour any particular party, platform, or anything else that is not our role.”

Ambassador Haas said “they would like to see the same thing that the people of Bangladesh would like to see an election run to an international standard that allows the people of Bangladesh to choose their next leaders in an ‘open and competitive’ process, free of violence.”

The US envoy said that he very much welcomed some of the signals and signs that he was receiving in terms of having a transparent election.

He referred to foreign minister AK Abdul Momen and said “he made it clear that Bangladesh would welcome international observers. ‘I think that’s critical.”

DHAKA, 18 June 2022, (TON): Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina sent 1,000 kgs of “Amrapali” mangoes as a gift for Indian President Ram Nath Kovind and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.

A senior diplomat of Bangladesh high commission in New Delhi told media “as a mark of close friendship and goodwill gesture, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina sent the mangoes to the president of India and her Indian counterpart.”

He said “the mangoes were sent to the two dignitaries through a diplomatic channel.”

Bangladeshi prime minister sent 2,000 kgs of “Harivanga” mangoes for the president and prime minister of India last year.

By TON Nepal

Currently, America is forcing Nepal to sign Washington’s State Partnership Program (SPP) between the Nepal Army and the United States National Guard which has triggered a new debate and left the political and intellectual circles divided. It may also fall Nepal into a geopolitical morass amid growing worldwide and regional tensions in South Asia.

The issue has been raised just ahead of the visits of the incumbent Prime Minister and Chief of Army Staff General to the United States. The Nepalese Gen is scheduled to visit the US at the invitation of the Pentagon from June 27 to July 1 while Prime Minister is visiting Washington in mid-July, of which an official declaration is yet to be made.

Nepal’s participation in the State Partnership Program (SPP) got a renewed impulse last week during the visit of the Commanding General of the US Army Pacific to Nepal. During his meetings with the Prime Minister and Nepalese Gen, the Commanding General of the US Army Pacific called the Nepalese side for signing the SPP on the military-to-military exchange between the two armies

The issue has already got grasped on the heels of Nepal’s decision to ratify the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) compact from Parliament despite objections from a certain section of society.

Those opposing the MCC argue that the grant is part of the Washington-led Indo-Pacific Strategy, hence entails security threats, something the US has denied calling it pure development assistance. Now some are questioning if signing the SPP would make Nepal part of a military alliance.

The US first came up with the concept of the SPP in 1993 as a humanitarian and disaster response training program. When Nepal first requested the US government to become part of the SPP in 2015. Negotiations, however, stalled with the American side due to the internal political situation of Nepal as the country was moving under a border blockade, numerous government changes, and an election cycle.

After the parliamentary elections in 2017 and the then government led by the UML chair had formed a team of senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defense, and Nepal Army to study the draft of the SPP and make recommendations. The process, however, was stalled again due to the Covid pandemic and a halt in official visits between Nepal and the United States kept on insisting that Nepal sign the SPP.

The then defense minister was invited to Washington as well. But his travel plans were suspended after he resigned as defense minister following his defeat in the party’s elections. During their meetings with the Commanding General of the US Army Pacific, neither the Nepalese prime minister nor the army chief, however, committed anything except saying they will positively consider the matter.

The US under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights visited Kathmandu on May 20-22. Her visit came following Beijing’s objection to Kathmandu’s decision to ratify the $500 million grant under Washington’s Millennium Challenge Corporation. Beijing, which opposed MCC ratification, sees the US grant as part of the Indo-Pacific Strategy which it believes is aimed at countering China and its Belt and Road Initiative. It all shows the threat of a new cold war looming in the Himalayas.

The American push for Nepal to sign Washington’s State Partnership Program between the Nepal Army and the United States National Guard has triggered a new debate and left the political and intellectual divided on whether SPP should be a sign or not.

The issue got traction pretty quickly as it came to the public domain hot on the heels of Nepal’s decision to ratify the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) compact from Parliament despite objections from a certain section of society.

After barely four months since the MCC ratification. General and provincial elections are just around the corner. If the prime minister signs the SPP, it will be a disaster. However, it looks like the government is willing to sign the SPP with the US. It seems that the incumbent government is tilting toward the US, ignoring its significant immediate neighbor China.

Now, it is clear that in the guise of helping, with natural and other disasters, ranging from storms to tremors, overflows, and fires, the United States seeks to make an alliance against its economic rival China in the Indo-specific region.

WASHINGTON, 17 June 2022, (TON): The US Federal Reserve raised its target interest rate by three-quarters of a percentage point in an effort to drive down a surge in inflation, and projected a slowing economy and rising unemployment in the months to come.

The rate increase announced on Wednesday was the biggest by the US central bank since 1994, and was delivered after recent data showed little progress in its battle to control a sharp spike in prices.

The move raised the short-term federal funds rate to a range of 1.5 percent to 1.75 percent. With additional rate hikes, policymakers expect their key rate to reach a range of 3.25 percent to 3.5 percent by year’s end the highest level since 2008 meaning most forms of borrowing will become sharply more expensive.

The central bank’s policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee said “inflation remains elevated, reflecting supply and demand imbalances related to the pandemic, higher energy prices and broader price pressures.”

ISTANBUL, 17 June 2022, (TON): Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said “Turkey is ready to host a four-way meeting with the United Nations, Russia and Ukraine to organise the export of grain through the Black Sea.”

Millions of tons of wheat are currently stuck in Ukrainian ports, either blockaded or occupied by Russian forces, and vessels face the danger of mines.

According to the Turkish foreign minister, the UN has submitted a plan to facilitate exports.

He said “under the plan, safe corridors could be established without de-mining in the Black Sea for grain exports from Ukraine.”

Cavusoglu said “If Russia answers positively, there will be a four-partite meeting in Istanbul.”

WASHINGTON, 17 June 2022, (TON): Family members and US Congress members have said “two United States military veterans who were in Ukraine fighting against Russian forces have gone missing and are feared captured.”

The men Alexander Drueke, 39, and Andy Huynh, 27 who had been living in Alabama before travelling to Ukraine following the February 24 invasion by Russia, were last heard from in the Kharkiv region, which borders Russia.

Their families said “they had last been in contact with both men on June 8 and were told they would be going offline for a few days.”