Dr Anu Mahmud
(From previous issue)
Utilizing smart and safe technologies, ‘Rosatom’ is a proven leader of the international NPP construction market. While constructing the first nuclear power plant in Bangladesh, ‘Ruppur’ Nuclear Power Plant in Pabna. It will help the country to attain energy security by developing its power sector. The project is also aimed at stabilizing electricity prices and reducing Bangladesh’s dependence on high cost power generation based on imported fuel.
The idea of Ruppur nuclear power station initially was taken into consideration in 1960. In the post liberation time during the 1972-75 period the father of the nation Bangabandhu has taken initiative to establish nuclear power station in Ruppur. Considering and reviewing those facts and objectives, the government has taken decision to establish nuclear power station in Ruppur in 1997.
An agreement with Russia was done in 2011 to set up a nuclear power station in Ruppur of Bangladesh. There was a expectation to start the establishing of this project in 2012 after the completion of related survey works in a year. To complete this long term project five years of time will be required and cost will be from one and half crore to 200 crore US dollars, the Russia has agreed to supply the total cost of establishment under state credit facility.
The problem related to shortage of electricity is not new in our country. We are moving in the circle of electricity crisis for long two decades. With the passing of days, this problem is becoming serious. During the period of modern technology, the extreme crisis related to electricity that we are passing, that increasing not only the pains of the people, but also affected the economy of the country.
From the media we came to know that, foreign investors are losing their interest to invest in our country. For this reason to face the crisis of electricity, the agreement with Russia to establish a nuclear power station caries a special interest.
In the world the reservation of nuclear fuel is a greater amount compare to the traditional fuel. The electricity those are produced by burning of three tons of coal or 2.6 tons of oil, those can be achieved from one gram Uranium. Due to this cause through nuclear power plant electricity can be produced in less cost. But due to recent extreme tsunami in Japan the danger effect of Fukushima’s nuclear power plant, different countries of the world keep them away from the establishing of nuclear power plant. Considering these factors the experts thinking about its ability and security matter and they thought it will be secure due to double protection system, heat generation system and hydrozen processing system. But all sorts of emphasis will be given regarding the maintaining of security affects to face the risk of nuclear power plants.
Instead of this, careful measures will be taken into consideration about the extreme harmful westage come out from the nuclear power plant. It will built with the assistance of five layer security system through the third generation’s technology.
Military Assistance Open New Vision:
it may also be mentioned that, due to the agreement with Russia or availing the military assistance from them has opened a new vision. Most of our defense arms were imported from China. It is not sufficient this opportunity will be opened to only China or to only one country. Because of the fact that, if due to any cause or in any important time that specific country deny or not to able to supply of defense arms, then a great problem will had to face. In effect of this agreement, benefit and facilities of foreign policy will be expanded.
At present the importance of geographical well – mantainance is increasing with economic development of Bangladesh. There is a need of parallel development of defense consisting with socio-economic development of any country. It is important to maintain a balance among the all sides.
In a country’s development attention will be given to the development of defense, beside the agriculture, education and healthcare etc. With the progress of time, the development of defense sector becoming very important. The development of defense sector become important compare to the other sectors. One-third people are leaving in extreme poverty position even in the economically developed countries like China and India. Due to this position they do not disagree about the importance of development of defense sector. Even though the neighboring country Mayanmer remain economically far behind, but they are strong in defense side. Every country decide their target of strengthening of defense strength considering their economic and geographical position and scope of its possibility. The state has to maintain a target to reach in its destination politically making consistence and adjustment with the time. So, the state can’t refrain from the increasing of defense power due to the existence of poverty or in the excuse of absence of defense policy. In addition of this Sri Lanka has given emphasis on the growth and development of social, economical and education for long period. They also achieved some success in their purpose. But they did not think about the defense strength of their country. They had to paid for this and military forces could not face properly. They were forced to take assistance from the defense force of India in 1987.
For the development of any country a specific target is fixed in education, medical facilities, agriculture sector and to achieve those target different ministries take some work plans. In the same way the three forces of army have some specific target and mission. To achieve those goals, they should acquire ability. Due to these causes it is necessary to increase the defense power.
In spite of this, at present Bangladesh arm forces performing a great role with the United Nations in peacekeeping mission. When the arm forces of our country work to go in any country, they should go with their arms and ammunitions to perform their duty. These arms and ammunition also been checked by UN authority regarding modernization of arms and date of production. Against the use of own arms United Nations make the payments. It appears that, the price of arms recover through this payment. In addition of this, they are allowed to bring back their arms in their own country. In this way we can able to achieve economic benefit and progress at the same time. Due to this reasons to make strengthen the arm forces and to purchase of arms become essential.
Educational Cooperation:
Russia regards cooperation with Bangladesh in the field of education as a very important sphere of the bilateral relation since it provides a direct contribution to the development of the county’s human resources. It goes back to the 1970s when Bangladesh was making its first steps as an independent state. Since that time, over five thousand students from Bangladesh have graduated from Russian institution of higher education. Now they work almost in all spheres, including governmental bodies and private business.
Since 1995, the Russian Education and Science Ministry has been providing scholarship for Bangladeshi students. In 2017, the Ministry of Education and science of the Russian Federation allocated 53 full-paid scholarships, 20 of them – for nuclear science.
Cultural Cooperation:
Cultural cooperation is one of the most actively developing spheres of the Russia-Bangladesh relationship, contributing to better mutual understanding as a non-material basis for the bilateral relations.
The brightest page in the recent history of Russian cultural cooperation, without any doubt, is related to the Days of Russian culture in Bangladesh and the Days of Bangladeshi culture in Russia. As per the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the sphere of Culture for the years 2013-2015, signed during the visit of Sheikh Hasina to Moscow, the Days of Russian Culture were held in Bangladesh on November 21-26,2014 and on September 11-17,2015, the Days of Bangladeshi Culture were held in Russia.
Extend Mutual Relation:
In the bizarre world situation, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is doing justice to the philosophy of the foreign policy of Bangladesh: ‘Friendship to all and malice towards none’ by connecting to the East and the West as well as by embracing capitalist and socialist countries. Her visits to the USA, Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, India , Bhutan and many other countries in connectivity, progress and security. We hope that Sheikh Hasina, following her father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, will extend our mutual relation with Russia by regaining our mutual relation with Russia by retaining our own social, political and cultural harmony.
Member Nuclear Club:
Bangladesh has finally entered the nuclear era. Shoving all speculations aside Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina finally inaugurated the main construction work of the much – awaited Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, the maiden nuclear plant of the country. The power plant will be a prestigious addition to our set of modern establishments, especially to produce electricity with no or less pollution.
PM formally launched the main construction work of the plant by pouring concrete at the plant site at Ruppur in Isswardi of northern Pabna District. Inauguration of the RNPP is not the opening of just another power plant project; it marks a new chapter in the country’s power generation system. Our production of electricity is dependent mainly on fossil fuel; share of electricity from hydropower and solar energy in our national grid in insignificant. The nuclear power plant at Ruppur is going to bring us out f the traditional way of power generation.
Once commissioned, the Ruppur plant is expected to add 2,400MW of electricity to the national grid by 2024, helping the country to meet an increasing demand for electricity. It may be remembered that the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) and Russian company, JSC Atomstroy export, signed a general contract for construction of Ruppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) on December 25 in 2015.
The question of used nuclear fuel comes up at this point as Bangladesh does not have any experience or facility to dispose of waste fuel. We are happy to learn that Russia, besides providing all assistance under the agreement for setting up the plant, including supplying fuel, will also take back the used fuel free of cost.
When the leading countries of the world have discarded old system of producing electricity and adopted nuclear power plants, it sounds good that a developing country like Bangladesh has also joined the club. We welcome the decision with open arms as we believe, this will be the first stepping stone for Bangladesh to establish more nuclear power plants discarding all obsolete plants under the cooperation and proper assistance of our tested friend Russia.
(Dr. Anu Mahmud, is an economic analyst, author and columnist., Email : [email protected])
