Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (Oct 19, 2022) inaugurated the installation of the second and final reactor at the country's first Rooppur nuclear power plant. The reactor pressure vessel was installed at the second unit of the 2,400 MW Rooppur nuclear power plant (RNPP). She joined the programme virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban while it was held in Ishwardi of the northern district of Pabna. The country’s lone nuclear power plant, being constructed at Rooppur in Ishwardi at a total cost of US$ 12.65 billion, has two units with a power generation capacity of 1200 MW each. Read: Bridge cranes installed at Unit 2 of Rooppur NPP In October last year, the prime minister  inaugurated the reactor pressure vessel of the plant's first unit. According to the Rosatom, the Russian contractor of the project, the VVER-1200 reactor vessel passed the input control in accordance with all regulatory requirements before its installation Wednesday. Rosatom officials said the operation to install the VVER-1200 reactor vessel of the second power unit in the design position was carried out in several stages. A Liebherr-11350 heavy crawler crane lifted the reactor vessel onto the transport portal of the power unit. Read PM to open installation of reactor pressure vessel at Rooppur Power Plant's 2nd unit Wednesday Then, on a special transport trolley, it was moved to the central hall of the reactor compartment. Further, with the help of a polar crane, the reactor vessel was turned into a vertical position and installed on a support ring in the reactor shaft. According to the RNPP officials, the first unit of the project has already made 70 per cent progress in physical work, and with the installation of the reactor pressure vessel at the second unit the project will have overall 53 percent of physical work completed. “With the installation of the reactor pressure vessel, the project’s second unit’s physical work will achieve over 45 per cent of the target”, Dr Md Shawkat Akbar, the project director in the country’s biggest scheme in power generation, told UNB on Tuesday. Read Fourth Russian shipment for Rooppur arrives at Mongla Port The government undertook the project in 2009 and after a long discussion signed an $11.385 billion credit agreement with Russian Federation on July 26 in 2016 to implement the project through appointing the Russian state nuclear energy firm—Rosatom--as its contractor. In addition, on August 6, 2019, Bangladesh signed a nuclear fuel supply agreement with Russia for the project. Under the deal, the Russian state-owned nuclear fuel firm TVEL Joint Stock Company will supply nuclear fuel for the entire life span of the power plant. Read Rooppur NPP: Hydro-accumulators’ testing begins in Russia Each unit of the power plant will have to reload one-third of the total required nuclear fuel after every 18 months and the first, second and third reloads will be provided by the Russian firm free of cost. Each reloading of nuclear fuel will cost $62 million, equivalent to Tk 550 crore. Shawkat  informed that after the installation of the pressure vessel at the second unit, the major work that will remain unfinished include pre-operational testing and fuel loading. “We hope, we’ll perform these work by June next year”, he said adding, some more work will be required to be completed before commissioning the project. Read Manufacturing of hydro-accumulators of Rooppur NPP underway “Construction of power grid line and building of communication and security systems are among the important work required to be completed before mid 2024”, he said. The second half of the year 2024 is set to be the deadline to start commercial operation of the 1200 MW first unit of the nuclear power plant while the second unit in 2025, said  Shawkat, also managing director of the Nuclear Power Company Bangladesh Limited (NPCBL), a dedicated company to deal with nuclear power plant. Initially, a target was set to start the commercial operation of the first unit from 2022 and second unit from 2023 and then the target was deferred. Read Auxiliary reactor building construction at Rooppur unit-1 ends ahead of schedule Officials of the NPCBL said about 14,000 foreign workers from different western countries, including Russia and Belarus, are now engaged in the Rooppur nuclear power plant project under the contractor and its sub-contractors to execute different works.

Chinese company Qinda Outdoor (BD) Limited is going to set up a tent, sleeping bag, and bag manufacturing industry at Ishwardi Export Processing Zone (IEPZ). The company will invest USD $ 12 million and produce 2 million pieces of tent, canopy, bags, sleeping bags, back Pack, tarpaulins, awnings, sunblinds, Mosquito Net, Portable Folding Chair, Recycle Bin, and Umbrella. The company will create employment opportunities for 2973 Bangladeshi nationals. An agreement to this effect was signed between Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) and Qinda Outdoor (BD) Co. Ltd at BEPZA Complex, in the capital on Tuesday, said a BEPZA press release on Wednesday. Read: BEPZA gives highest priority to workers’ safety, welfare: Law Minister Ali Reza Mazid, Member (Investment Promotion) of BEPZA, and Zhang Yan, representative of Qinda Outdoor signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organizations. Executive Chairman of BEPZA Major General Abul Kalam Mohammad Ziaur Rahman witnessed the signing ceremony. Among others, BEPZA Member (Engineering) Mohammad Faruque Alam, Member (Finance) Nafisa Banu, Executive Directors Md. Zakir Hossain Chowdhury, Nazma Binte Alamgir, Md. Tanvir Hossain and Md. Khorshid Alam was present during the signing ceremony

Roulin (BD) Limited, a Japanese apparel manufacturing company, is going to expand its business in Ishwardi EPZ and create employment for 3,500 Bangladeshis. The enterprise signed an agreement to this effect with BEPZA on Wednesday.  Recently, the major share of the company was taken over by Matsuoka Corporation, a major player in the wholesale sector of Japan. Now the new shareholder will expand the existing operation of Roulin (BD) by investing $25 million where 3,500 Bangladeshis will be employed. Read: BEPZA gives highest priority to workers’ safety, welfare: Law Minister Roulin (BD) has been operating their business in IEPZ since 2011 and invested $4.53 million. In presence of the Executive Chairman of Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority Major General Md Nazrul Islam, Member (Investment Promotion) Md Mahmudul Hossain Khan for BEPZA and Representative of Matsuoka Corporation Osamu Sasaki on behalf of Roulin (BD) signed the agreement at BEPZA Complex, Dhaka. BEPZA is trying its best to attract foreign and local investment in the EPZ even during the Covid-19 pandemic. Investment-friendly policies of the government and favourable investment atmosphere of EPZs are encouraging Japanese investors including others to invest in EPZs. Read Dekko ISHO Group joins hands with Markopolo.ai to contribute to IT industry growth Presently, 31 Japanese enterprises have invested $525 million in the EPZs and created employment opportunity for 13,500 Bangladeshis. Among others, Member (Engineering) Mohammad Faruque Alam, Member (Finance) Nafisa Banu, Secretary Md Zakir Hossain Chowdhury, General Manager (Public Relations) Nazma Binte Alamgir and General Manager (Investment Promotion) Md Tanvir Hossain of BEPZA including Managing Director of Roulin (BD) Md Mahbubar Rahman were present at the signing ceremony. Read: Korean envoy discusses investment issues with BEPZA Executive Chairman