Bangladesh likely to get nuclear use guideline from IAEA

Dhaka, June 26 (UNI) Bangladesh is likely to receive users' guideline from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) soon for setting up a nuclear power plant.

The indication came from a IAEA delegation now in Dhaka to discuss with the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) the issues relating to the use of nuclear energy and setting of nuclear power plant, according to official sources.

The two-member delegation, comprising Masanao Moriwaki and Rayman Sollychin from the IAEA's Department of Nuclear Energy, today met Energy, Power and ICT Advisor Tapan Chowdhury at the Secretariat.

The Energy Advisor conveyed the Bangladesh government's gratitude to the IAEA for approving its appeal for using the nuclear technology in power generation to resolve the country's persisting power crisis.

In response, the IAEA officials appreciated the Bangladesh government's move to use the nuclear technology for power generation.

They particularly lauded the high standard activities of BAEC and its efficiency in transferring nuclear technology in different fields, including medical science.

The delegation members also discussed issues relating to formation of common users' criteria for the eight countries that recently got the IAEA approval for setting up nuclear power plants.

Bangladesh along with some other seven countries got the IAEA approval to set up nuclear reactors for power generation. Following the approval, the IAEA delegation has been in Dhaka on a four-day visit to discuss different issues.

The official sources said the BAEC, being instructed by the government, is considering reviving an old plan to set up a nuclear power plant.

''Initially, the proposed nuclear power plant may be of 600 MW capacity and it will be set up at Ruppur in Ishwardi where about 260 acres of land was acquired before the country's independence,'' a BAEC official said on condition of anonymity.

According to sources, a high-powered delegation will visit South Korea next month to attend a conference of the IAEA and discuss the matter with a Korean power company that offered Bangladesh to invest in nuclear power plant project.

The countries which got the IAEA approval for setting up nuclear reactors includes Indonesia, Malaysia, Egypt, Morocco, Belarush, Mexico and some small countries in Central Asia.

UNI