Bangladesh with the help of Russia will build its first ever nuclear power plant at Rooppur. As this will be a first ever nuclear power plant of Bangladesh, so Bangladesh has no experience in handling used nuclear fuel which is a very sensitive matter as it is used for preparing nuclear bomb. Not just that but as a signatory to the non-proliferation treaty, Bangladesh is not allowed to manage the used nuclear fuel.
“Used nuclear fuel or spent nuclear fuel is a nuclear fuel that has been irradiated in a nuclear reactor (Usually at a nuclear power plant). It is no longer useful in sustaining a nuclear reaction in an ordinary thermal reactor and depending on its point along the nuclear fuel cycle, it may have considerably different isotopic constituents”
Recently Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina attended the weekly cabinet meeting at the cabinet division in Dhaka. In that meeting she has enquired into the modalities of the spent fuel management of Bangladesh first evert Rooppur nuclear power plant. Sheikh Hasina further said that she had raised the issue before signing of the deal with Russia for construction of Bangladesh’s first nuclear power plant as Bangladesh has no experience in handling used nuclear fuel.
Science and Technology Minister Yeafesh Osman replied that as per the agreement signed between Russia and Bangladesh in 2011 Russia would take the spent fuel of the nuclear power from the Bangladesh. He further added that they would definitely work out modalities for removing the spent fuel of the nuclear power plant in keeping with the agreement.
Note:
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation treaty is an international treaty whose objective is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and to further the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament.”
