What happened to the nuclear plant that India and Russia were helping Bangladesh build? Find out here

Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her family are accused of embezzling $5 billion for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP). Russian Ambassador Alexander Manitsky rejected the allegations and said how can such a large amount be given to someone when the nuclear plant is under construction.

RNPP is Bangladesh's first nuclear power plant being built by the Russian state-owned company Rosatom. Some reports say that Sheikh Hasina and her family have committed a major scam in the project. Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is one of Sheikh Hasina's dream projects, while only last month the Russian state-owned company informed that some Indian companies are also collaborating in the construction of the RNPP. That is, India and Russia were helping to complete Sheikh Hasina's dream project.

How far has the construction of nuclear plant reached?

Such allegations were to be made after the political upheaval in Bangladesh, but after the departure of Sheikh Hasina's government, how far did the work of this nuclear power plant go and what will happen next?

According to a media report, a part of the nuclear fuel handling system for Unit-2 of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) has been delivered to the transport lock construction site. According to Rosatom, the Russian company that builds the RNPP, the transport lock will soon be installed in the reactor building, which is the most precise and most difficult task. The main function of the transport lock is to retain the radioactive material within the containment and ensure fire safety. Weighing 235 tonnes, the lock is a cylindrical structure, 12.7 meters in length and 10 meters in diameter.

85% of RNPP work completed – Rosatom

According to Rosatom, about 85 percent of the RNPP work has been completed. Rooppur Nuclear Plant has 2 units, it will have VVER-1200 reactors with a total capacity of 2400 MW. According to the information, its unit-1 was supposed to be operational this year itself. Unit-2 will be commissioned next year. That means this nuclear power plant will be fully operational by next year.

While former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina wanted Rosatom to build its Unit-3 and Unit-4, there are doubts about the future of these two units after the government leaves. However, Russian Ambassador Alexander Mantitsky, during a courtesy call on Bangladesh's Interim Government chief Mohammad Yunus, has expressed Russia's willingness to continue its support for the nuclear power plant.