Bangladesh has said there is immense untapped potential for further cooperation with Russia in the energy sector beyond the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP), including LNG, oil refining, and renewable energy.

“Bangladesh looks forward to exploring these avenues with its Russian partners in the days ahead,” said Secretary (East & West) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Md. Nazrul Islam, noting that Russia today stands as one of Bangladesh’s important partners with robust bilateral cooperation.

He made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a reception on Friday evening marking Russia’s National Day.

The event brought together representatives of the Bangladeshi government and parliament, diplomats, military officials, journalists, and graduates of Soviet and Russian universities.

Dr. Nazrul highlighted Russia’s intellectual and cultural heritage. Referring to bilateral relations, he reaffirmed Bangladesh’s firm commitment to strengthening its partnership with the Russian Federation.

In his opening remarks, Russia’s Chargé d’Affaires a.i. to Bangladesh, Vyacheslav Sentyurin, highlighted the key achievements of the first half of 2026, which has already proved fruitful for Russia-Bangladesh relations.

He placed special emphasis on the recent visit of Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister, Dr. Khalilur Rahman, to Moscow, as well as the physical start-up of Unit 1 of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.

“We look forward to maintaining the positive momentum of the first half of 2026 and broadening cooperation between our nations. Together, we will attain greater heights for the benefit of both Russia and Bangladesh,” said the chargé d’affaires.

The evening was crowned by a vibrant performance from the Alabuga Folk Song and Dance Ensemble.

The artists, who arrived directly from the Republic of Tatarstan, entertained the audience with dances, instrumental compositions, and both folk and contemporary songs from their region.

The guests of the Russian Embassy were thus able to appreciate the spiritual and cultural traditions of one of Russia’s largest ethnic groups, the Tatars.