What happened to the nuclear plant for which India and Russia were jointly helping Sheikh Hasina?

Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her family have been accused of embezzling $5 billion related to the Ruppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP). Russian ambassador Alexander Mantitsky has rejected these allegations and said that the construction of the nuclear plant is still underway, so how can such a huge amount be given to anyone?

RNPP is Bangladesh's first nuclear power plant which is being constructed by the Russian government company ROSATAM. Some reports have said that Sheikh Hasina and her family have committed a big scam in this project. Support Nuclear Power Plant is one of Sheikh Hasina's dream projects, while only last month this Russian government company informed us that some Indian companies are also cooperating in the construction of RNPP. That is, India and Russia were helping in completing Sheikh Hasina's dream project.

After the recent political upheaval in Bangladesh, such allegations were bound to be made, but after the ouster of Sheikh Hasina's government, how far has the work on this nuclear power plant progressed?

According to the latest information, 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 building the RNPP, the transport lock will soon be installed in the reactor building, which is a more precise and difficult task. The main function of the transport lock is to maintain radioactive substances inside the containment and ensure fire safety. This lock, weighing 235 tonnes, is a cylindrical structure, 12.7 meters long and 10 meters in diameter.

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

Bangladesh's former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina wanted ROSATAM to build its Unit-3 and Unit-4, but after the government has left, there is uncertainty over the future of these two units. However, during a courtesy visit to Bangladesh's interim government chief Mohammad Yunus, Russian ambassador Alexander Mantitsky expressed Russia's desire to continue assisting this nuclear power plant.