Russian uranium shipment arrives in Bangladesh for Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant

A Russian cargo plane carrying uranium fuel for Bangladesh’s Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant has arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka. The shipment, intended for Unit 2 of the facility, was originally scheduled to arrive on September 24 but faced delays.

The delay occurred after the aircraft was denied permission to transit through Pakistani airspace. While the disruption caused a rescheduling of the delivery to October, the Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka clarified that the denial was due to technical and procedural arrangements regarding flight routing and civil aviation protocols rather than political motives. The mission emphasized its commitment to international diplomatic norms and urged against viewing the incident as an attempt to undermine bilateral relations.

The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project is managed by the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation, Rosatom, while the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission oversees the national program. The facility is located in the Pabna District, approximately 160 kilometers from Dhaka.