Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina tuesday underscored the need for timely completion of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) for materialising the vision of the present government.
“It (plant) needs to be finished in time for supplying quality electricity for materialising the vision of the present government,” she said.
The Prime Minister expressed this view when visiting the director general of ROSATOM, the national nuclear corporation of Russian Federation, SV Kirienko, called on her at her official Ganobhaban residence here this morning.
After the meeting, PM’ Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters.
He said the Prime Minister also put emphasis on ensuring safety and security of the plant being established at Rooppur in Pabna to avoid any accident considering Bangladesh’s geographical location in a natural disaster-prone area. “The plan must be safe,” she observed.
Sheikh Hasina told the ROSATOM director general that the government has a plan to set up another nuclear power plant in country’s southern region to meet the growing demand of electricity.
She sought Russian Federation’s cooperation in imparting training to the Bangladeshi experts in the sector .
The Prime Minister recalled the support of the then Soviet Union to Bangladesh during its War of Liberation and rebuilding the war-ravaged country including mine sweeping in Chittagong and Mongla Ports.
Sheikh Hasina conveyed her regards to Russian President Vladimir Putin through the ROSATOM director general.
SV Kirienko informed the Prime Minister that the work on the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is progressing as per the schedule and plan.
He assured the Prime Minister that the safety of the power plant would be ensured and its spent fuel would be brought back to Russia.
Minister for Science and Technology Architect Yeafesh Osman, PM’s Advisers Dr Mashiur Rahman and Dr Gowher Rizvi, Principal Secretary M Abul Kalam Azad , Bangladesh Ambassador to Russia Saiful Haque and Russian Ambassador in Dhaka Alexander A Nikolaev were present.