The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant: Implications for South Asia

Bisma Hameed

Bangladesh and Russia have a long history together. During the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) stood up for the country and resisted international pressures and barriers to its independence. On January 25, 1972, the Soviet Union was one of the first few countries to recognize the newly independent Bangladesh. It also assisted Bangladesh in gaining international recognition and subsequently entering the United Nations.

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh’s founder and first president, visited Moscow in March 1972, where he met with Secretary General of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Leonid Brezhnev, Chairman of the Praesidium of the Supreme Soviet Nikolai Podgorny, Chairman of the Council of Ministers Alexei Kosygin, and other officials. During the trip, bilateral agreements were signed on economic and technical cooperation, free assistance for improving navigation in Bangladesh’s seaports, air services, trade, agreements on USSR trade representation in Bangladesh, and cultural and scientific cooperation.
On February 9, 1999, the Russian Federation’s Government and the People’s Republic of Bangladesh Government signed an agreement on military-technical cooperation in Dhaka. On January 25, 2022, the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and the Russian Federation commemorated a historic date: 50 years ago, less than a year after Bangladesh proclaimed independence, the nations established diplomatic ties.

Both countries share a commitment to the UN Charter’s core principles of cooperation on a global scale. The proximity and similarity of their approaches to global and regional agenda topics ensures good coordination of their activities. For example, Bangladesh and Russia are both opposed to Nazi glorification, the deployment of weapons in space, and the exploitation of ICTs for criminal reasons. Bangladesh and Russia hold similar views on fostering dialogue between faiths and countering religious extremism, as evidenced by the collaboration under the banner of the Strategic Vision Group “Russia-Islamic World.”

The Rosatom State Corporation is making a substantial contribution to the growth of Bangladesh’s energy industry. It is involved in the largest joint project, the development of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) near Pabna, which is financed by Russian state financing. two units with a combined capacity of 2,400 megawatts will be placed into service. Ninety percent of the $12.65 billion project is funded by a Russian loan that is repayable in 28 years with a 10-year grace period. Bangladesh became the 33rd country in the world to produce nuclear energy after receiving the first Russian shipment of uranium fuel for its first nuclear power plant. It is building the first of two nuclear power plants in collaboration with Russian state-owned atomic company Rosatom.

The completion of the Rooppur facility, located around 200 kilometers west of Dhaka, has been revised multiple times due to construction delays caused by COVID-19 epidemic limitations and sanctions imposed on Moscow following its invasion of Ukraine. The US approved legislation to break links with Russia for crude oil products but it has not shut off uranium supplies. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Sweden, Finland, and the Czech Republic have abandoned their reliance on Russian Uranium.

Bangladesh is experiencing its greatest electrical crisis since 2013, owing to variable weather and difficulties in paying for fuel imports amid shrinking foreign currency reserves and a weak national currency. When completed, the facility is anticipated to strengthen Bangladesh’s national electricity system and contribute to the South Asian country’s rising economy. When completed, the facility would cover around 10% of Bangladesh’s electricity usage, according to Putin. He claimed that over 20,000 people were employed in its creation and that over 1,000 individuals were trained to run it. “Together with you, we are building not just a nuclear power plant, but the entire atomic industry,” Russian President Vladimir Putin remarked. Sheikh Hasina stated that Russia has committed to take back the spent fuel from Rooppur and she also guaranteed her country that the facility is built to withstand natural calamities.

Bangladesh’s nuclear proliferation may assist India in rising more against Pakistan since they are good economic partners, but both nations will also have deterrents for each other, including Pakistan, which may be useful in stopping the region’s problems from escalating. Previously, the United States had a strong presence in South Asia, but the fact that another major power, Russia, is building nuclear power plants in the region shows that Russia is attempting to follow in the footsteps of the United States to expand its influence and global attention. However, nuclear proliferation may be lethal if employed incorrectly in a crisis. Overall, the consequences for South Asia of Bangladesh getting a nuclear power plant with the help of Russia are complex and uncertain. There are several potential risks and benefits to consider. It is important to weigh these risks and benefits carefully before deciding on whether or not to proceed with the construction of the power plant.

The writer is a student of Peace and Conflict Studies.