Moscow has denied allegations of corruption related to the nuclear power plant it is constructing in Bangladesh.
Russia will continue to support Bangladesh on the international stage, said Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh Aleksandr Mantytsky on Tuesday, following a meeting with Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, the head of Bangladesh’s interim government.
The interim government was established earlier this month after the then Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, fled the country amid deadly student-led protests.
During their meeting in Dhaka, Mantytsky and Yunus discussed bilateral relations, including the construction of the 2,400MW Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Bangladesh, according to the Daily Prothom Alo. The two sides also discussed enhanced collaboration in food security, energy exploration, and science and technology.
Mantytsky stated that the construction of the Rooppur plant, which commenced in 2017, is nearing completion and will be operational next year. The project is being financed by Russia through multiple credit facilities, including a line of credit for 90% of the $12.65 billion contract for the plant’s construction signed between the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission and Atomstroyexport, Rosatom’s nuclear power equipment and service exporter. The loan is repayable over 28 years with a ten-year grace period.
Earlier this month, Mantytsky told TASS that Moscow will cooperate with any leader in Bangladesh willing to engage in an “equal and mutually respectful dialogue” with Russia.
Economic cooperation between Russia and Bangladesh has been actively progressing, said the Russian envoy in May, with bilateral trade reaching $2.7 billion, a 16.5% increase in 2023 compared to the previous fiscal year. Russia’s primary exports to Bangladesh include grains and fertilizers.
During the recent meeting, Mantytsky informed Yunus that Russian state-owned Gazprom has expressed interest in exploring five additional gas wells in Bangladesh. Yunus recalled the Soviet Union’s support during Bangladesh’s liberation war in 1971 and urged Moscow to increase and diversify imports from Bangladesh. Currently, readymade garments constitute approximately 90% of Dhaka’s exports to Russia.
Bangladesh has been in a state of turmoil since protests erupted over laws reserving lucrative government jobs for relatives of veterans who fought in the liberation war. Hasina was forced to resign after hundreds of people were killed during weeks of protests. She fled to India, where she has resided since.
A war crimes tribunal – established by Hasina herself – has launched an investigation into mass murder against the former Prime Minister. The interim government led by Yunus was sworn in on August 8, with the objective of overseeing reforms in the country until new elections can be held.