M.A. Qader-Our Correspondent in Bangladesh
Dhaka, 14 May (Asiantribune.com): Bangladesh on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding with Russia-- the first step towards the installation of a nuclear power plant in the country.
Chairman of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission Dr. Mosharaf Hossain and deputy director general of Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom) N N Spasskiy signed the deal in Dhaka.
State minister for science Yafes Osman and prime minister's energy affairs adviser Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury and high officials from both sides were present at the ceremony.
Spasskiy led a high-powered delegation from Russia, a global leader in nuclear technology, to Dhaka on Tuesday to sign the deal.
Osman said that the signing ceremony was an outcome of series of discussion. "One of our expert teams will visit Russia. Then we will know the cost of power plant," he said.
"We are planning to install of 600-1000 megawatt power plant."
"We have the same memorandum of understanding with the USA and China. We will try to pick the best one," he added.
Spasskiy said, "It is important, because we signed the MoU, it enables us to start working, to start practical cooperation."
"It would also imply a radical change to the situation of electricity in your country."
"Bangladesh for us is not only a longstanding friend, it's a strategic partner. Bangladesh is a key player in the region," Spassiky continued.
He said last December the Russian president signed a new agreement for the construction of four additional nuclear reactors during his visit to India.
The deputy director general said they needed to finalize the agreement 'as soon as possible', 'because without the agreement even we cannot talk about certain things'.
Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina on 4 May provisionally approved a draft memorandum of understanding with Russia on the installation of a nuclear power plant, officials with knowledge of the matter said on Monday.
Bangladesh and Russia finalized the draft to sign an agreement after the three-day negotiations in April in Dhaka on the installation of a nuclear power plant.
Russia did not specify the financial terms which would be settled after the final agreement, said the officials with direct knowledge of the negotiations.
They said Russia was interested to provide loan, probably on easy terms, rather than grant. The Economic Relation Division will settle the financial terms and conditions once the MoU is signed.
Russia has supplied as many as 65 plants to Iran, India, China, Armenia, Ukraine, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Finland, Bulgaria and Germany, including 10 in last year.
The first initiative to install nuclear power plant in Bangladesh in Rooppur in Pabna was taken in 1961.
Currently Bangladesh is facing acute shortage of power, which resulting in disruption of normal life.
-Asian Tribune-
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