United News of Bangladesh

Russia has described the construction of Bangladesh's first nuclear power plant in Rooppur as the flagship project of the bilateral partnership, noting that once fully operational, the nuclear power plant will provide up to 10% of the country's total electricity generation. Based on Russian technology, the Russian Foreign Ministry said, the foundation for Bangladesh's nuclear industry has been laid, and qualified national personnel have been trained for it. The first power unit was commissioned on April 28, and the second unit could also be launched this year. “Russian expertise in conventional energy is in high demand in Bangladesh. Between 2012 and 2023, Gazprom International Limited, a subsidiary of PJSC Gazprom, drilled and completed turnkey projects for approximately 20 wells in Bangladeshi gas fields,”said the Russian side. There are also prospects for expanding cooperation in education. Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman, who is paying a three-day visit to Russia at the invitation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, reached Moscow on Sunday, a senior official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told UNB. Prime Minister's Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir is accompanying the Foreign Minister. Bangladesh Ambassador to Russia Md Nazrul Islam and representatives of the Russian government received the Foreign Minister and the Adviser at the airport. The previous contact between the heads of the two countries' foreign ministries took place in September 2023 during Sergey Lavrov's working visit to Dhaka. This is Dr Khalilur Rahman's first visit to Russia in his current capacity. He represents the new Government of Bangladesh, formed following the parliamentary elections in February this year. During the talks scheduled for today (June 8), the parties will discuss the status and prospects of Russian-Bangladesh cooperation and exchange views on current issues on the international and regional agendas, said the Russian Foreign Ministry. The visit also includes a meeting between the distinguished guest and the leadership of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation. Dhaka is a long-standing partner of Moscow in South Asia. In 1972, our country was one of the first to recognize Bangladesh's independence and provided it with significant political and economic support, said the Russian side. Between 1972 and 1974, Soviet naval forces cleared mines from Bangladesh's main port of Chittagong and its surrounding waters of sunken ships. The political dialogue between our countries is developing steadily, regardless of the current political situation. Contacts are maintained, including at the highest level, said the Russian government. In connection with the resumption of the Bangladesh Parliament in February this year, contacts are planned between the highest legislative bodies. Constructive cooperation has been established within the UN, its specialized agencies, and other multilateral structures. For several years in a row, bilateral trade has consistently exceeded $2 billion. Russia's main exports are industrial equipment, mineral fertilizers, and wheat. "Our country primarily imports ready-made garments and seafood from Bangladesh. The Intergovernmental Russian-Bangladesh Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, and Technical Cooperation is the primary mechanism for coordinating joint efforts to strengthen business ties," said the Russian side. To date, it has held four meetings, the most recent of which was held on March 15, 2023, via videoconference. For the 2025-2026 academic year, 185 scholarships have been allocated to Bangladeshi citizens to study in Russia, financed by the federal budget.

Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) is going to officially receive a fresh batch of uranium from the Russian contractor, Rosatom, at a formal “Graduation Ceremony” on Thursday (tomorrow, October 05, 2023). According to official sources, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin are expected to virtually join the historic ceremony to mark the occasion. Sources said Director General of the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom, Aleksey Likhachev, will hand over the fuel officially to the project authority in Rooppur project. Science and Technology Minister Architect Yeafesh Osman will preside over the function while Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will join the ceremony through video conference. Md. Ali Hossain, Secretary, Ministry of Science and Technology, said that all arrangements are ready for making the Graduation Ceremony a success. “We have made all necessary arrangements to mark the historic moment,” he told UNB. Earlier, the first batch of uranium, the nuclear fuel of the first unit of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, arrived in Bangladesh on September 28. The consignment of uranium arrived in Dhaka from Russia through a special air cargo and it was moved to the nuclear power plant site by road under heavy security the next day. The nuclear fuel was brought to Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka by a special plane from a factory in Russia. Read: First batch of uranium for RNPP reaches Rooppur amid tight security The fuel was produced at the Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant (NCCP) in Russia, a subsidiary of Rosatom's fuel manufacturing company Tevel. Rosatom, as a Russian contractor, has been engaged in building the 2400 MW Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant with two units, each with the capacity of producing 1200 MW electricity. The nuclear reactor of the first unit of the power plant was loaded in October 2021 while reactor for second unit was installed in October 2022. The government conceived the idea of setting up the RNPP project in 2009 and signed a memorandum of understanding with the Russian Federation on May 13 in 2009 on the “Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy.” On January 15, 2013, an agreement regarding State Export Credit of US$ 500 million was signed for carrying out preparatory phase construction works of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant. The government signed a US$12.65 billion general contract (GC) in 2015 with the Russian Federation for building the nuclear power plant in Rooppur. Bangladesh signed a credit agreement with Russia to obtain $11.385 billion Russian credit for RNPP in July 2016. The credit covers 90 percent of the project cost. Read: Support truss installed at Unit-2 reactor building of Rooppur RNPP The Ministry of Science and Technology recently said that the first unit of the plant may come into operation in July 2024 and the second unit in July 2025. However, Project Director of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Project Dr. M Shawkat Akbar said that the government is expecting to commission the first unit of the RNPP in September next year and second unit in mid of 2025. Though the 1200 MW first unit of the nuclear power plant at Rooppur is expected to start production from next year, the Power Division and Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) are still in dark about the possible tariff of the electricity of the plant. According to sources at the Power Division, the officials of the BPDP sat in a number of meetings with the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) to discuss a possible power tariff of the plant, but they failed to get a clear picture in this regard. The BAEC has been implementing the RNPP project and the BPDB will purchase electricity from the Russian-aided plant under a long-term agreement. A top official of the BPDB, however, said that they have made a primary calculation on the basis of the data derived from the discussions with BAEC and reports in the newspaper and tariff of per unit electricity of the RNPP will be not less than Tk 10. According to some local experts' calculation the power tariff of the RNPP project will cross $0.08 -0.10 (8-10 US cents). Read more: Key stage completed in manufacture of RNPP’s first reactor pressure vessel One of the country's eminent power tariff experts, Mizanur Rahman, former Member of Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC), said the electricity tariff from the nuclear power project will be more than over $0.085 (8.5 Cents).

The work on the construction of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) is going on in full swing as the installation of the dome of outer containment at the reactor building of Unit-1 has begun to upgrade safety features protecting any serious external shocks. It will enhance the safety features of the country’s first nuclear power plant. According to Rosatom, the Russian contractor of the Rooppur NPP, the installation of the lower tier of the dome has already been completed as part of the work. Read more: Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant to get powerful reactors: Rosatom DG It took five hours for installing the heavy structure with a weight of 200 tonnes and a diameter of 46.3 meters in the design position at a height of 48.8 metres. Installation of the upper tier and concreting will take place in the coming days.

Planning Minister MA Mannan on Wednesday said Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant won’t be affected directly by the ongoing Russian-Ukraine war as the project is being executed completely under a bilateral agreement with Moscow. “Equipment, manpower and finance (for the project) are coming through the single channel. No third party is involved here. So, the project will witness no direct impact,” he said while briefing reporters after the meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC). NEC Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina chaired the meeting, joining it from her official residence Ganobhaban. Other NEC members including ministers and secretaries attended the meeting from the NEC Conference Room and the Cabinet Division’s Conference Room. Read: No disruption foreseen in construction of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant: Rosatom Replying to a question, whether the meeting discussed the war and its impacts on Rooppur plant, being built by Russia, the planning minister said Bangladesh is against any war. “The prime minister has clearly said we are a peace-loving country. We want peace,” he added. Though they are fighting, both the countries are the friends of Bangladesh, he said. “Ukraine is our friend. And Russia has been our friend for a long time. We always recognise the Russian role in our Liberation War. We had been able to achieve independence despite having many barriers due to their bold role,” he added.

The High Court on Wednesday granted bail to contractor Asif Hossain in a case filed over graft in purchasing furniture and other household products for the officials and employees of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.