Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday inaugurated the installation of a reactor pressure vessel at the second unit of the $12.6 billion Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, raising hopes of meeting the growing electricity demand in the country of 165 million people.
"This will help us to ensure a better life for the countrymen. I again thank Russia for helping us build this power plant," Hasina said while inaugurating the installation.
The PM brushed aside concerns raised by some over safety standards, saying the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission had paid heed to the overall safety and security of the construction of the power plant.
The first unit of the plant will commence supplying 1,200 MW power from 2023, while the same amount of electricity will be available from the second unit in 2024.
The prime minister also urged people to maintain austerity to fight the ongoing global crisis, which has had a strong impact on Bangladesh's economy. The PM blamed the Ukraine crisis and subsequent sanctions against Russia for compounding the country's problems.
"Because the world is now a global village, one is dependent on another. When the world is suffering from economic recession, that blow also [hits] us," Hasina said.
The country's recent economic growth is being threatened by a power crisis following the government's decision to shut down diesel power plants to save crucial foreign exchange reserves.
On October 4, a large part of the country faced an eight-hour blackout due to a national grid failure.