Rooppur power plant likely to start operation this year

Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus said on Thursday that the Rooppur power plant is expected to begin generating power on a trial basis by the end of this year.

During a meeting with Alexei Overchuk, Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, at the Boao Forum for Asia Conference in the Chinese resort town of Boao in Hainan province, Dr. Yunus mentioned that financial issues regarding the Rooppur power plant have been resolved, with Bangladesh repaying the money to an account in Dhaka.

The two leaders discussed various mutual interests during the meeting, including the operation of the Russian-funded Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, Bangladesh's plans to import wheat and fertilizer from Russia, and Gazprom's gas exploration work in Bangladesh. Dr. Yunus expressed Bangladesh's intention to import more wheat and fertilizer from Russia and also welcomed Gazprom's increased exploration activities in the country.

Alexei Overchuk emphasized the importance of increasing people-to-people contacts between the two countries and expressed Russia's desire to have more Bangladeshi students studying in Russia.

He also mentioned Russia's interest in exporting more wheat and fertilizer to Bangladesh.

Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain, Energy and Transport Adviser Fouzul Kabir Khan, and High Representative of the Chief Adviser, Dr. Khalilur Rahman, were also present during the meeting.

mirmostafiz@yahoo.com