President Vladimir Putin has said Bangladesh is a trusted friend of Russia, noting that Dhaka-Russia bilateral relations have seen 50 successful years.
The Russian president made the statement at the fuel handover ceremony of the Rooppur Nuclear power plant in Pabna, joining the event via an audio-visual link from the Kremlin in Russia, while Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina joined it virtually from Ganabhaban. Other participants attended the program at the RNPP plant in person.
Putin continued: “The first unit of the nuclear power plant in Bangladesh will be commissioned in 2024 and the second unit in 2026.”
Russia would stand by the Sheikh Hasina-led government on Bangladesh's nuclear journey, he added.
Thursday marks a historic day for Bangladesh as the country formally receives its first batch of nuclear fuel from Russia, a milestone event in the development of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
This ceremony heralds Bangladesh's entry into the global nuclear community, making it the 33rd country worldwide to handle uranium for nuclear energy production.