Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has called for an integrated economic strategy between Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and India’s seven northeastern states, highlighting the transformative potential of cross-border collaboration in sectors such as hydropower, healthcare, and connectivity.
Professor Yunus made these remarks during a meeting on Monday with Indira Ranamagar, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Federal Parliament of Nepal, currently visiting Dhaka for an event hosted by the Embassy of Nepal.
“There should be an integrated economic plan for Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Seven Sisters,” Yunus said, using the popular term for India’s northeastern states. “We have more to gain together than apart.”
The meeting underscored the growing consensus on the need for a regional economic corridor to harness collective resources and shared ambitions. Yunus cited the Bangladesh-Nepal-India Tripartite Power Sales Agreement, signed in October 2024, which allows Bangladesh to import 40MW of hydropower from Nepal through Indian transmission lines. He emphasized the need to scale up such partnerships.
“Energy collaboration, especially in hydropower, is no longer optional—it is essential,” Yunus stated. “Together, we can develop a sustainable power grid that supports economic growth while preserving the environment.”
The chief adviser also pointed to Bangladesh’s upcoming 1,000-bed hospital in Rangpur, designed to serve patients from neighboring countries. “We believe in regional health security. Our hospital will be open to patients from Nepal and Bhutan. Shared prosperity must include shared access to healthcare.”
Deputy Speaker Ranamagar expressed Nepal’s strong interest in further deepening ties with Bangladesh. “All our parliamentarians want to work closely with Bangladesh,” she said. “We are serious about strengthening our economic partnership and boosting people-to-people connections.”
She also noted the presence of over 2,700 Nepali students currently enrolled in Bangladeshi institutions, mostly in medical colleges. Applauding the quality of education, she called for enhanced academic cooperation and bilateral educational exchanges.
On the issue of physical connectivity, Yunus stressed that improved road infrastructure linking Bangladesh and Nepal could significantly reduce trade costs and facilitate smoother movement of goods and people. “Our region’s economic potential is being held back by logistical bottlenecks,” he said. “A shared road network could unlock untapped trade and tourism opportunities.”
The push for a regional integration plan comes at a time when South Asia is grappling with economic volatility, climate change pressures, and infrastructure deficits. Yunus’s vision aligns with growing international calls for subregional cooperation, particularly among landlocked and developing nations within the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).
Present at the meeting were Ghanshyam Bhandari, Nepal’s ambassador to Bangladesh; Lamiya Morshed, Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) coordinator to the chief adviser; and Ishrat Jahan, director general at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
As Professor Yunus noted, “The future lies in cooperation, not competition. If we work together, this region can become a beacon of sustainable development, innovation, and peace.”
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