Bhutanese ambassador to Bangladesh Dasho Karma Hamu Dorjee on Monday said that Bhutan welcomed private partnership in its hydroelectricity project where Bangladesh could invest for energy trade and sustainability.
In a country-lecture titled 鈥楤angladesh-Bhutan Relations: Elevating Bilateral Ties for Shared Prosperity鈥� organised by the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies at its auditorium in the city, the diplomat expressed her appreciation for the enduring partnership between the two nations.
鈥楤angladesh can invest in hydropower for energy trade and sustainability,鈥� she said, adding that the two countries could cooperative more in the areas of education, sports and sustainable development.
About the connectivity between the land-locked Bhutan and Bangladesh, she said that they had only one airport and a new international airport was under construction.
鈥極nce the new international airport will be operational in 2029, more people from Bangladesh will visit Bhutan and vice versa,鈥� the diplomat explained in reply to a question about a very low number of visitors from Bangladesh to Bhutan.
She emphasised shared priority areas, such as environmental stewardship, hydropower collaboration, tourism, and education.
At present, 230 students from Bhutan were studying MBBS and in some other areas in Bangladesh, she added.
The Bhutanese ambassador reaffirmed Bhutan鈥檚 commitment to working closely with Bangladesh to foster a future-oriented relationship based on trust, mutual respect, and regional harmony.
Responding to a proposal for a trilateral forum involving Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan as neither the South Association for Regional Cooperation nor the sub-regional BBIN Motor Vehicle Agreement signed in 2015 among Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal was functional, Dasho Karma said that they could move together there they had agenda.
Moderating the discussion, Centre for Policy Dialogue distinguished fellow Professor Mustafizur Rahman said that Bangladesh, set to graduate from the Least Developed Country status in November, 2026 could learn from Bhutan, which graduated from the LDC in December, 2023.
He said Bangladesh would require cooperation of India to import hydroelectricity from Bhutan through the Indian grid as it was already importing 40 megawatt hydroelectricity from Nepal, another landlocked country in the region through India.
India also exports electricity to Bangladesh.
In his welcome address, BIISS director general Major General Iftekhar Anis highlighted the long-standing friendship between Bangladesh and Bhutan, the first country to recognise Bangladesh in 1971, and underscored the importance of deepening economic, cultural, and developmental cooperation for mutual prosperity.
Former secretary (East) of the foreign ministry Mashfee Binte Shams also spoke on the occasion.
She reflected on the evolution of Bangladesh-Bhutan relations and pointed out emerging opportunities in trade, connectivity, and renewable energy cooperation for sustainable growth in the region.
The Country Lecture was followed by an engaging open discussion, where participants including diplomats, academics and university students shared insights and ideas for enhancing bilateral collaboration between the two countries.聽聽