Bangladesh and Russia Agree to Expedite Rooppur Nuclear Plant Work

Bangladesh and Russia have reached a firm consensus to expedite the remaining construction work at the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant and subsequently supply electricity to the national grid. This significant development for the energy sectors of both nations was formalized during a high-level bilateral meeting held on September 14.

The diplomatic engagement took place in Vienna, Austria, coinciding with the 70th general conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The Austrian capital served as the backdrop for discussions regarding the ongoing nuclear cooperation between Dhaka and Moscow.

Representing the Bangladeshi side at the bilateral talks was the Minister for Science and Technology, Fakir Mahbub Anam. His participation underscored the government's commitment to advancing the nation's nuclear energy infrastructure and ensuring the timely completion of the landmark project.

On the Russian side, the delegation was led by Alexey Likhachev, the Director General of Rosatom, the state-owned nuclear energy corporation of the Russian Federation. Mr. Likhachev engaged directly with Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam to review the project's current status and chart a path forward.

During the meeting on the sidelines of the IAEA general conference, both parties focused on overcoming any remaining hurdles to accelerate the workflow at the Rooppur site. By committing to finish the remaining tasks swiftly, Bangladesh and Russia aim to bring the facility online and integrate its power generation capacity into the national grid as soon as possible.