Rooppur nuclear power plant is being built at Ishwardi in Pabna, Bangladesh with the assistance of Russia. Planning Minister MA Mannan said the construction work would not be affected by the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war.
As a result, the concerned people are expecting that it will be possible to start experimental power supply to the national grid from the first unit of 1200 MW capacity in Rooppur in April 2023.
The Development Budget or Revised Annual Development Program (RADP) was presented at the NEC meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the conference room of the Planning Commission’s National Economic Council (NEC) in the capital’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina took part in a video conference from Ganobhaban. The Prime Minister approved the development budget at that meeting.
The allocation for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project has been reduced by Tk 3,590 crore from the Annual Development Program (ADP) to the revised Annual Development Program (RADP).
The Minister said that the Ministry of Science and Technology is conducting regular inquiries and supervision into the implementation of the project.
Arguing that the project was continuing even amid the extreme Covid-19 pandemic; the minister said in response to such questions from media persons, “The pandemic was no less than fighting a war. Everything was shut down all over the world. Still amid the pandemic, the movement of people, goods and equipment from Russia to Bangladesh went on. So there’s no reason now for not continuing the project. Equipment, people, money — all three are coming in a single channel, there is no third party. So there will be no direct impact. If the war goes long-term, scholars will study whether there will be any side effects or not. We, the conscious citizens, will observe keenly and keep an eye constantly on the situation.
