Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)– Bangladesh and Russia have signed two key deals for further collaboration between the two countries to develop the nuclear power sector in Bangladesh.
State Minister for Science and Technology Yeafesh Osman and Director General of Russian State Energy Corporation (ROSATOM) Sergey Kirienko signed the two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) in Moscow on Tuesday.
“The first memorandum confirms Russian support in developing the full range of human resources in the nuclear power sector in Bangladesh, covering different tiers of managerial, technical and operational personnel, and eventually developing broad-based academic and training capabilities in Bangladesh,” a foreign ministry announcement said in the capital.
The second MoU will pave way for establishing Information Centre(s) in Bangladesh to generate awareness among people, especially the younger generation, on various aspects of nuclear energy and nuclear power plants, including functioning, maintenance and safety measures at the nuclear plants.
After signing the deals, Yeafesh Osman said: “The Information Centre(s), first to be set up in Dhaka shortly this year, would help us address perceptions or apprehensions, whatsoever, on nuclear energy and the two pants that we are to build in Rooppur in northern Bangladesh with Russian assistance.”
He also said that, as a sequel to the signing of the MoU, a high-level Russian delegation would be visiting Dhaka next week to undertake a detailed assessment of the structure, and facilities including syllabus, available in universities and other academic institutions in Bangladesh.
Based on the assessment, the Russian side will engage with its Bangladesh counterparts and institutions to finalize plans for training and required capacity-building.
Kirienko, a former premier of the Russian Federation, termed the two MoUs “yet another affirmation of Bangladesh’s keenness in initiating works on actual building of the Plants in Bangladesh in near future.”
He also assured of continued support to Bangladesh in expediting the overall process, according to the announcement.
BBN/SSR/AD-04June12-7:50 pm (BST)
