A uranium fuel consignment for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant has left Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport under a heightened security operation, beginning the journey to the facility in Ishwardi, Pabna.
The convoy, carrying nuclear fuel for the plant’s first unit, departed the airport at around 7.15am on Saturday (3 October). Three lorries are being used to transport the consignment, with the Bangladesh Army overseeing security arrangements. Personnel from the SRB, police and various intelligence agencies are also involved in securing the movement.
The shipment reached Bangladesh a few hours earlier. The aircraft carrying the fuel for Rooppur’s first unit landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at around 11.30pm on Friday (2 October). Following its arrival, officials from the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority received the uranium consignment.
The movement from the airport to Rooppur is being conducted under strict security because of the sensitive nature of nuclear fuel. Transporting such material requires close coordination among the relevant authorities, particularly during the movement from the airport to the nuclear power facility.
The latest shipment is part of a wider schedule for delivering fuel assemblies required for Rooppur’s two generating units. According to the plan, a further nine flights are expected to arrive in Bangladesh during November and December.
Of the planned additional consignments, 48 uranium fuel assemblies are earmarked for the first unit of the Rooppur plant, while 163 assemblies are intended for the second unit. The deliveries will therefore continue in stages rather than arriving in a single shipment.
The planned transportation route is also international and involves several transit countries. The consignments are scheduled to travel from Russia through Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, Afghanistan and India before reaching Bangladesh.
Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is Bangladesh’s first nuclear power facility and is located in Ishwardi, Pabna. The project has two units and is being developed with Russian cooperation. The delivery of nuclear fuel is a key part of the preparations required for the eventual operation of the plant’s generating units.
The arrival of the fuel also places renewed attention on the logistical and regulatory arrangements surrounding nuclear materials in Bangladesh. From receipt at the airport to transportation and eventual delivery to the plant, the process involves designated authorities and security agencies.
For the current shipment, the three-lorry convoy is proceeding towards Rooppur with security personnel deployed throughout the operation. Further fuel consignments are expected over the coming months as Bangladesh continues to receive the assemblies planned for both units of the power plant.
