Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has proposed a comprehensive regional economic framework involving India’s northeastern states, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh, emphasizing the mutual benefits of closer cooperation in hydropower, healthcare, education, and transport connectivity.
Key Highlights from the Meeting:
1. Call for an Integrated Economic Strategy
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Yunus urged for a joint plan among Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and India's Seven Sisters (the northeastern states), saying, “We have more to gain together than apart.”
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The strategy would target energy integration, cross-border healthcare, and enhanced logistics across the subregion.
2. Hydropower and Energy Cooperation
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Yunus and Nepal’s Deputy Speaker Indira Rana highlighted the existing Bangladesh-Nepal-India energy agreement, under which Bangladesh imports 40 MW of electricity from Nepal via Indian transmission lines.
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Both sides expressed interest in scaling up such initiatives, tapping into Nepal and Bhutan’s vast hydropower potential.
3. Healthcare and Regional Access
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Bangladesh is constructing a 1,000-bed hospital in Rangpur, which Yunus stated would serve patients from Nepal and Bhutan, promoting a regional health security model.
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This move is part of Bangladesh's broader commitment to shared prosperity and inclusive development.
4. Educational and People-to-People Ties
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Rana emphasized Nepal’s strong academic ties with Bangladesh, noting that over 2,700 Nepali students, particularly in medical colleges, are currently studying there.
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She called for increased student exchanges, collaborative academic programs, and joint research opportunities.
5. Trade and Transport Connectivity
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Both parties agreed that improving direct road links would lower trade costs and facilitate smoother movement of goods and people.
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Enhancing physical connectivity is seen as essential for making the region more economically integrated and competitive.
Broader Significance:
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This initiative aligns with efforts like the BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal) subregional cooperation framework and SAARC's energy grid ambitions.
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Yunus’s proposal suggests a shift toward pragmatic regionalism, where smaller South Asian economies work together with Indian states to build synergy in critical sectors.
Attendees:
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Alongside Yunus and Indira Rana, the meeting included Nepal’s Ambassador to Bangladesh, Ghanshyam Bhandari, SDG Coordinator Lamiya Morshed, and Foreign Ministry official Ishrat Jahan.
This push for subregional cooperation comes amid growing recognition that deeper ties between South Asia’s eastern economies can serve as a model for practical and mutually beneficial regionalism in an otherwise fragmented geopolitical environment.
