Nuke agreement with Russia signed

Bangladesh signed with Russia a protocol deal on cooperation in the field of peaceful usage of atomic energy as the country plans to install a nuclear power plant.

The agreement was signed in the Russian capital, Moscow, on October 21 during the visit of a nine-member Bangladesh delegation headed by State Minister for Science and ICT Yeafesh Osman, according to a message received here yesterday.

M Neazuddin Miah, additional secretary of the Ministry of Science and ICT of Bangladesh, and Mikhail N Lysenko, director of the State Atomic Energy Corporation “Rosatom” of Russia, signed the accord on behalf of their respective governments,

The Bangladesh delegation visited Russia on October 18-22 for spot inspections of Russia's nuclear sites preceding the deal signing, following a series of talks between the two sides.

According to the protocol, a joint working group between Bangladesh and Russia will be formed and its composition and schedule of work be defined in the working process, the message said.

It was agreed in the accord to arrange further exchange of visits from both the sides, particularly at experts' level.

The Bangladesh side will prepare the proposals by the end of this year on organisation of meetings of their experts with Russian specialists on “the most practical issues of mutual cooperation”.

During the visit, the attention of Bangladesh delegation was drawn to the possibilities in connection with the development of national programme and its essential parts--legal framework in the area of peaceful usage of nuclear energy.

The Bangladesh delegation sought support from the Russian Federation in establishing nuclear power plant and the Russian side assured of extending possible assistance to Bangladesh in the regard.

Following this umbrella deal, the matter of signing the framework agreement on the “Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant” was discussed. The main procedural issues on completion of negotiating the text of agreement and carrying out its technical revise in Russian, English and Bengali were finalised.

“The draft agreement is under examination and soon it would be ready for signing,” the release said. It was agreed that it will be signed at a mutually convenient time.

Practical steps on the realisation of the “Memorandum of Understanding” between Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission and the State Corporation “Rosatom” on cooperation in the area of peaceful usage of nuclear energy, signed in May this year in Dhaka, were also discussed.

During the tour, the Bangladesh delegation also visited the unit 4 of Kalininskya Nuclear Power Plant and the crisis-management centre of 'Energoatom Concern'.

The crisis management centre is an integral part of the NPP to ensure fall safety and security of the NPP round the clock.

The Russian Crisis Centre is based on a concept embracing the best experiences and ideas of the leading nuclear powers--the United States and France--and underpinned by up-to-date information technologies, computer equipment and telecommunications.

A meeting was held between the visiting delegation and the senior management of “Atomstroyexport”, the sole Russian Company to undertake Procurement, Construction and Project Management (EPCM) in nuclear power plant abroad.

It revealed from their presentation that the third-generation NPP using the state-of-the-art technology has an estimated life of 60 years with the provision of extension by another 20 years.

The delegation also made a presentation on 'Power System Planning of Bangladesh status of Nuclear Power Programme'.

A meeting was held between the Bangladesh delegation and SV Kiriyenko, former Russian prime minister and director general of Rosatom. The meeting discussed the basic issues of the current Russia-Bangladesh cooperation and its perspectives.

Recalling that the Russian government and people stood shoulder to shoulder in Bangladesh's liberation war, Yeafes Osman said the government has outlined the target of generating 20,000 MW electricity by 2021 to ensure universal electrification in Bangladesh.

The former prime minister of Russia concurred with the current situation in Bangladesh and assured of providing all possible support to Bangladesh in this regard.