Bangladesh, Russia Sign 5-Year Peaceful Nuclear Deal

In another bold and well-calculated move, the government of Bangladesh has reached out to yet another powerful country and has made of it another ally. This time, the government through Foreign Minister Dipu Moni and her aides have reached a five-year deal with their Russian counterparts to share peaceful nuclear technology, design and capability in order to help meet the energy demands of Bangladesh’s political economy.

The Daily Star reports

“According to the agreement, the future cooperation between the two countries would include, among others, (i) design, construction and operation of nuclear power and research reactors; (ii) nuclear fuel supply, taking back the spent nuclear fuel and nuclear waste management; (iii) personnel training and capacity building for operation and maintenance of the plants; (iv) research, education and training of personnel in the Russian Federation in the field of the use of nuclear energy; (v) development of innovative reactor technologies in accordance with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safety requirements, non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and environmental protection; and (vi) exploration and mining of uranium and thorium deposits.”

“The parties shall establish a Joint Coordination Committee to monitor the implementation process of this agreement.”

“The parties shall also assure the transfer of materials, technologies, equipment and services for implementation of joint programmes in the field of the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.”

This is a good move, one that anticipates both the squeezed and growing power needs of the Bangladeshi economy and the economic and social consequences if those needs are not met.

Already the country suffers through a daily shortfall of about 2000 megawatts per day.  The economic burden of that shortfall is tremendously heavy and weighs down an otherwise respectable 5% GDP growth per annum.

Through Russian aide and assistance, the government will fulfill an election pledge and will build a nuclear power plant outside the Dhaka, the capital city.  (Whatever the merits of a nuclear technology free political economy, those merits fail for the strained utilities sector that has so far failed the Bangladeshi business and its investors and consumers.)

The deal will be finalized upon Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to Russia at a later time this year.

Happily, Bangladesh has no need of joining the regional fray, that party for select nation states that have bandied about their weaponized nuclear capability.  Nevertheless, it will be interesting to gauge the effect of this deal on Bangladesh-American relations.  Is the U.S. failing to secure a strong relationship with a country that, though formerly “an international basket-case”, now seems a moderate democracy on the upswing?  Certainly given U.S. involvement in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, U.S. authority and aid capacity has worn thin.  Nevertheless, Bangladesh is, as it were, another egg that will readily fit in the basket.  By choosing to not be proactive in its approach, has the U.S. allowed in competing powers into a regional bloc that stands to challenge U.S. interests for some time to come?

The more immediate question, however is: how will the BNP turn this mutually beneficial move into another Awami League ploy to destroy Bangladesh?