IAEA satisfied with Rooppur nuclear plant safety measures

The visiting Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Yukiya Amano, has expressed “satisfaction” over the safety measures taken at the Bangladesh’s first-ever nuclear power plant at Rooppur in Pabna.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 4 July 2017, 02:33 PM
Updated : 4 July 2017, 02:33 PM

Russia is helping Bangladesh to build the plant.

During a meeting with Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali on Tuesday, the DG referred to his visit to Rooppur power plant on Monday. He said, “Bangladesh is in the right direction as far as the IAEA safeguards for nuclear power plant are concerned.”

The foreign ministry said he also lauded Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for “garnering wide public acceptance to the nuclear power project”.

He suggested that the nuclear regularity authority in Bangladesh be strengthened, and assured Ali that the IAEA would consider Bangladesh “a priority country and continue to provide with necessary technical and advisory supports in the implementation of the Rooppur power project”.

In response to the request of the foreign minister, the IAEA chief also pledged to send regular inspection teams to the Rooppur plant.

This is the second visit of Amano to Bangladesh as IAEA Director General.

The foreign minister informed him that in line with Bangladesh’s strict adherence to the international regime on nuclear energy, the government has recently accepted the Amendment to the Convention on Physical Protection of Nuclear Materials (CPPNM).

He also handed a copy of the ‘Instrument of Acceptance’ to the DG.

Amano expressed “great satisfaction” in Bangladesh’s action and said “this testifies the sincerity and commitment of Bangladesh towards nuclear safety”.

He will leave Dhaka on Wednesday.