The idea of solving Bangladesh’s energy problem through nuclear power generation is ‘broadly accepted’ by all major political stakeholders in the country, said Russian Ambassador in Dhaka Alexander A Nikolaev on Tuesday.
“I think the idea of solving the energy problem of the country is broadly accepted, broadly recognised by all major political stakeholders,” he said during his interactions with diplomatic correspondents at the Jatiya Press Club.
Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) arranged the event – DCAB Talks – with its President Mainul Alam in the chair. DCAB General Secretary Angur Nahar Monty was also present.Nikolaev mentioned that he had a meeting with one of the leaders of the then opposition BNP about the matter after his arrival here two years back.
He also said a few weeks after the January 5 elections, it was conveyed by a prominent member of the standing committee of a party that the leadership of the party will fulfill all the obligations and the agreements, concluded between the two countries in recent years.
The diplomat reiterated his position saying the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) is safe for Bangladesh and expressed displeasure over the comment to those opposing the NPP construction.
“We took into accounts all the reasons what had happened to Fukushima,” he said adding that the design of NPP which is under construction here is much more sustainable than Fukushima.
Nikolaev, however, said it is useless to say five times more safety or one hundred times safety. “The design is absolutely sustainable to Tsunami and earthquake.”
Responding to a question, the Russian envoy said, “I must admit that I was not happy to read the report on such statement made by one of my colleagues (German ambassador).”
On March 16, German Ambassador Dr Albrecht Conze expressed concern over the government’s recent decisions to construct a coal-fired power plant not far from the Sundarbarns and a nuclear power plant near Pabna and said energy generation needs to take environmental risks into account.
Favouring more NPPs in Bangladesh and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s recent statement over the matter, Nikolaev said, “I think this statement by the Prime Minister is the best answer to the opinion of my German colleague who told me, not in newspaper, but in a private meeting, what is the sense to constructing a single NPP in Bangladesh.”
On transparency and quality of the Rooppur NPP he said, “There’s no hiding, no secrecy; nothing.”
The envoy said Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission demonstrates the greatest careful about the safety aspects of the NPP.
Responding to a question on the quantity and prices related to defence purchase, he refrained from making any comment on that but said, “It’s not my matter…so, you better address your question to the Air Force of Bangladesh. I can’t publicise any information.”- UNB
