Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant to supply 300MW electricity by next month: Envoy

Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh Alexander Grigoryevich Khozin on Wednesday said repair works are continuing at the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project to start the generation of 300-megawatt electricity by next month.

The ambassador said that around 4,000 Russian specialists and engineers are working intensively to resolve technical issues related to the project that have delayed the start of supply to the national grid.

made the remarks during a courtesy meeting with Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) Administrator Md Fazlul Hoque at the FBCCI office in Gulshan on Wednesday afternoon, the FBCCI said in a press release.

He added that work is progressing with the target of supplying the first 300 megawatts of electricity to the national grid by October.

Grigoryevich also said that the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry has expressed interest in establishing a joint Russia–Bangladesh Business Council to further strengthen and expand trade, investment, and economic cooperation between Bangladesh and Russia.

It is also planning to organise a Russia–Bangladesh Business Forum in Moscow, according to press release.

He said a formal announcement on the proposed initiatives could be made at the upcoming meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission, scheduled to be held in Dhaka in early November.

During the meeting, the Russian ambassador said the forum in Moscow is being planned to facilitate direct interaction between entrepreneurs from the two countries. Based on the profiles of participating Bangladeshi business representatives, the forum will include direct business-to-business (B2B) meetings as well as various discussion sessions.

To increase bilateral trade, The FBCCI Administrator called for greater focus on new and promising sectors alongside the ready-made garment (RMG) industry.

He placed particular emphasis on pharmaceuticals, leather and leather goods, jute and jute products, ceramics, and the export of Bangladeshi manpower to Russia.

The Russian ambassador said Russia’s Ministry of Health is already reviewing the procedural and legal aspects of importing generic medicines from Bangladesh.

He further said Russia has issued visas to around 3,000 Bangladeshi workers in recent months, as employment opportunities have emerged in sectors including agriculture, fisheries, shipbuilding, and services.

At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides expressed hope that concerted efforts by the government and private sectors would further strengthen the commercial relations between Bangladesh and Russia in the future.

Bangladesh–Sri Lanka trade cooperation

Separately, FBCCI Administrator Md. Fazlul Hoque held a meeting in the afternoon with Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dharmapala Weerakkody.

During the meeting, the High Commissioner informed the FBCCI administrator that the international trade fair Sri Lanka Expo 2027 will be held in Colombo from 14 to 17 January next year.

He invited a Bangladeshi business delegation, led by the FBCCI, to participate in the expo.

The FBCCI Administrator responded positively to the proposal to send a trade delegation to Sri Lanka Expo 2027.