Russia ready to take part in NPP project in B'desh
Sunday, 29 June 2008
Russia is ready to participate in Bangladesh's proposed nuclear power plant (NPP) project, if the government here makes a decision to put it into reality, reports UNB.
"The issue is quite complex and embraces various aspects - technological, financial etc. Therefore, the matter needs a thorough study and comprehensive elaboration," Russian Ambassador Dr Gennady P Trotsenko said in an interview with UNB.
The Ambassador said it is well known that a substantial increase in power supply is a dire necessity for further dynamic development of the economy and improvement of lifestyle in Bangladesh. This is why the subject of NPP has become very topical.
"Anyway, Russia is ready to consider its participation in such a gigantic project, if the government of Bangladesh makes a decision to put it into reality," he said.
Russian cooperation in Rooppur NPP was discussed during Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury's visit to Moscow. The mater was also raised during Russian Foreign Minister Sergey V Lavrov's meeting with Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed on the sidelines of the 62nd session of the UN General Assembly in New York.
During the interview, the Ambassador also spoke on bilateral trade, procurement of food grains, investment and migration of Bangladeshi workers to Russian Federation.
Asked about Bangladesh's recent request to Russia to supply wheat and fertilisers to meet the growing demands here, Trotsenko said the Russian modern economic reality is such that the supply of these goods can be arranged only through the private sector.
He said the Embassy has assisted in establishing direct contacts between Bangladeshi entrepreneurs interested in wheat and fertiliser import with the respective Russian manufacturers and suppliers. He said some of the Bangladeshi companies have already signed a number of contracts to this effect.
Asked whether Russia would import more Bangladeshi products, including ready-made garment, the Ambassador said recently Dhaka and Moscow witnessed a substantial growth in trade turnover between the two countries. Russian export presently accounts for 90 per cent, but the Russians would love to see more Bangladeshi goods in their expanding market.
He said nowadays Russia imports from Bangladesh knitwear, woven garments, home textile, jute yarn and twine, raw jute, leather, shrimps etc. Bangladeshi ready-made garments, footwear and other items are considered to be of high demand among the Russians. He hoped that in the coming years more and more relatively cheap but high quality Bangladeshi products would be procured by the Russian companies.
The Ambassador said economic and trade cooperation between the two countries have also increased manifold, as he said within a short span of four years trade turnover rose from $37 million in 2003 to nearly $250 million last year.
He suggested establishment of logistic connectivity, including air transportation and direct banking interaction to boost the volume of bilateral trade.
"The issue is quite complex and embraces various aspects - technological, financial etc. Therefore, the matter needs a thorough study and comprehensive elaboration," Russian Ambassador Dr Gennady P Trotsenko said in an interview with UNB.
The Ambassador said it is well known that a substantial increase in power supply is a dire necessity for further dynamic development of the economy and improvement of lifestyle in Bangladesh. This is why the subject of NPP has become very topical.
"Anyway, Russia is ready to consider its participation in such a gigantic project, if the government of Bangladesh makes a decision to put it into reality," he said.
Russian cooperation in Rooppur NPP was discussed during Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury's visit to Moscow. The mater was also raised during Russian Foreign Minister Sergey V Lavrov's meeting with Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed on the sidelines of the 62nd session of the UN General Assembly in New York.
During the interview, the Ambassador also spoke on bilateral trade, procurement of food grains, investment and migration of Bangladeshi workers to Russian Federation.
Asked about Bangladesh's recent request to Russia to supply wheat and fertilisers to meet the growing demands here, Trotsenko said the Russian modern economic reality is such that the supply of these goods can be arranged only through the private sector.
He said the Embassy has assisted in establishing direct contacts between Bangladeshi entrepreneurs interested in wheat and fertiliser import with the respective Russian manufacturers and suppliers. He said some of the Bangladeshi companies have already signed a number of contracts to this effect.
Asked whether Russia would import more Bangladeshi products, including ready-made garment, the Ambassador said recently Dhaka and Moscow witnessed a substantial growth in trade turnover between the two countries. Russian export presently accounts for 90 per cent, but the Russians would love to see more Bangladeshi goods in their expanding market.
He said nowadays Russia imports from Bangladesh knitwear, woven garments, home textile, jute yarn and twine, raw jute, leather, shrimps etc. Bangladeshi ready-made garments, footwear and other items are considered to be of high demand among the Russians. He hoped that in the coming years more and more relatively cheap but high quality Bangladeshi products would be procured by the Russian companies.
The Ambassador said economic and trade cooperation between the two countries have also increased manifold, as he said within a short span of four years trade turnover rose from $37 million in 2003 to nearly $250 million last year.
He suggested establishment of logistic connectivity, including air transportation and direct banking interaction to boost the volume of bilateral trade.