First unit of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant likely to be launched by end of this year: Russian ambassador

The first unit of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is expected to be launched by the end of this year, Russian Ambassador in Dhaka Alexander Khozin has said.

"At present, Russian and Bangladeshi engineers, designers, and technical specialists are working hard towards the completion of the project," he said while speaking at the National Day reception of the Russian Federation in the capital yesterday (15 June).

"I welcome you all at the Russian Embassy on the occasion of the Russia Day. On this national holiday, we celebrate the heroic history and tremendous heritage of our country," said the ambassador.

"At the same time, we look into the future with confidence and ambition to achieve even more for the benefit of the multinational peoples of Russia, for the benefit of our partners in the international arena, for global peace and progress," Ambassador Khozin added.

Alexander Khozin further said, "On the global stage, Russia pursues an independent and balanced foreign policy. Russian President Vladimir Putin has come forward with the idea of a new security architecture in Eurasia, which must be equal and indivisible so that all the countries receive solid guarantees of their security without compromising the security and interests of other countries."

"This emerging architecture will greatly benefit from such organisations as Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, BIMSTEC, SAARC, and IORA, which unite a large number of Global East and Global South nations, including Bangladesh," said Alexander Khozin.

For more than 50 years, the relations between Russia and Bangladesh have been based on the principles of friendship, equality and mutual respect. Today, Bangladesh is Russia's second-largest trade partner in South Asia, a press release from the Russian Embassy said.

"For several years in a row, our bilateral trade has been exceeding two billion US dollars, with wheat and fertilisers being the major export goods from Russia. The Russian company Gazprom is a long-term player in the energy domain of Bangladesh with 20 drilled gas wells on the Bhola island and two discovered gas fields,' said the Russian diplomat.

"It is heartening to see, for me, as the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Bangladesh, that our relations are on the rise and there are prospects to make our bilateral cooperation even more solid. I am confident that stronger ties will benefit both Moscow and Dhaka. This cooperation will bring security and prosperity to our peoples, as well as stability to the region and the world," he added.

During his speech, Alexander Khozin highlighted Russia's vast natural resources, scientific potential, and cultural heritage.

He also emphasised Russia's independent foreign policy, which aims to create an equal and indivisible security architecture in Eurasia.

During the event, Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan also delivered a speech as a special guest, recalling the solid foundation Russia-Bangladesh relations stand on and expressing optimism about deepening bilateral cooperation in energy and agriculture sectors.