OREANDA-NEWS. АSE Group of Companies, engineering division of State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom, in cooperation with the Ministry of Science and Technology of Bangladesh held round table discussion in Dhaka on the topic “NPP: environmental и safety aspects. Bangladesh-Russian experience in raising public awareness on nuclear energy”.
 
Representatives of several key government authorities and companies of Bangladesh, such as Ministry of Science and technology, Atomic Energy Commission, Rooppur NPP Project, University of Dhaka and many other organizations involved in development and implementation of national nuclear power program of Bangladesh, that involves construction of the country’s first nuclear power plant in Rooppur region, participated in the workshop. The speakers also included: editor-in-chief of Nuclear.Ru specialized news agency Ilya Platonov, manager of JSC ASE Communication department Sergey Zhuravlev, Communications Manager ROSATOM Asia Arkady Karneev etc.
 
Engr. Md. Ali Zulquarnain, Chairman of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, in his welcoming speech stressed importance of this subject. “In order to build the first NPP in Bangladesh successfully, it is important to raise public acceptance for nuclear power and educate the society on safety and advantages of nuclear power. Actually these issues are no less important than the technological and ecological aspects of nuclear energy program. In January, 2015 Bangladesh and Russia signed the Strategy for Promoting Public Communication in Bangladesh on Nuclear Power for the period 2015–2021. The purpose of this strategy is to equip the society with more comprehensive understanding and knowledge about the character, the necessity and the benefit of nuclear power in energy security, socio-economic development as well as safety and security requirements that, according to the IAEA rules, is one of the milestones of nuclear power infrastructure of any country making the first step in the national nuclear power program development”- he said.
 
Arkady Karneev also emphasized the importance of the topic of public acceptance of nuclear power for new industry that is currently being created in Bangladesh. “In order to well prepare for starting construction of the nuclear power plants, many tasks still need to be focused on. Implementing public information and communication in order to enhance public’s perception and support in nuclear power development is one of those”, he mentioned.
 
The attendees also discussed the advantages of nuclear power and non-energy use of nuclear technologies, as well as Bangladesh’s opportunities of joining the "Nuclear Club". Ilya Platonov elaborated on the development of energy security for Bangladesh, compared  solutions and technologies, applied in the different countries around the world, and covered issues, related to the NPP environmental and safety aspects
 
Mr. Mustafa Kamal, ecologist, summed up the discussion by recalling the history of the domestic nuclear industry, "Bangladesh is not a novice in the field of nuclear technologies. Bangladesh’s Atomic Energy Commission and Centre for Nuclear Energy have been working for a few decades. We were waiting for the launch of the project for a number of years, and, finally, the national consciousness has become aware of the country’s need for nuclear power. Both the Government and opposition agree on this issue. A lot of countries have nuclear power, and it’s time for Bangladesh to benefit from its advantages.”