Implement Ruppur Nuke Power Plant

Sergey Kirienko, director general of State Atomic Energy Corporation of Russia (Rosatom), calls on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Gano Bhaban in the city yesterday.Photo: PID

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina urged the Russian government to take immediate steps to implement the Ruppur Nuclear Power Plant Project (RNPP) as soon as possible.
The premier made the request when a six-member delegation of the Russian Atomic Energy Corporation 'Rosatom' led by its Director General Sergey V Kirienko called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Ganobhaban yesterday morning.
Bangladesh signed a framework agreement with Russia on cooperation for its maiden nuclear power plant on May 21 this year.
During Foreign Minister Dipu Moni's visit to Russia last month, State Minister for Science and ICT Yeafesh Osman signed the Framework Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of the Use of Nuclear Energy for Peaceful Purposes with the Rosatom director general in Moscow.
During the meeting, Hasina expressed her hope that the Rosatom director general's visit would initiate discussions on the RNPP and facilitate speedy finalisation of contract and related agreements, said PM's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad.
She told the Rosatom DG that RNPP project is a priority for Bangladesh in the context of acute power shortage and for meeting increasing energy demand for the country's industrialisation, economic activities and growth.
“Nuclear energy is also a favoured option in the climate change and option for clean nuclear energy requirement context,” the premier said.
She observed that diversification through nuclear energy is also always a safer option for any resource constrained country.
Hasina further stated that nuclear power plant would also contribute to the realisation of the present government's Vision 2021.
The implementation of RNPP is an electoral pledge of the present government, she added.
She said the government of Bangladesh is relying on nuclear energy to meet 10 percent of power need by 2020 and 20 percent by 2030.
“We are fully committed to the RNPP and ready to go ahead as fast as possible for nuclear energy production,” Hasina said.
In reply, the Rosatom director general highly praised leadership of the PM, saying that the Russian authorities would give all types of technological and financial assistance to implement the much-expected nuclear power plant in Ruppur.
Sergey V Kirienko, formerly a prime minister of the Russian Federation also expressed his government's desire to help Bangladesh for development of telecommunication sector.
The PM thanked the invaluable support of Russian people and government during Bangladesh's war of liberation, including their role in the UN Security Council.
She also recalled the contribution of the then Soviet Union to the subsequent reconstruction of the war ravaged Bangladesh including removal of mines from various zones including from the ports.
State Minister for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Yeafesh Osman, PM Office Secretary Mollah Waheeduzzaman and Russian Ambassador in Dhaka Gennady Trotsenko, among others, were present in the meeting.