|
Signing of Nuclear Power Plant deal with Russia
Bangladesh and Russia might sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) tomorrow (Wednesday) on installation of a nuclear power plant (NPP), reports bdnews24.com.12 May, 2009 Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina provisionally approved the draft MoU, officials said last week. A high-power Russian delegation is expected to arrive in the city today (Tuesday) to sign the deal. Science secretary Najmul Huda Khan Monday said they made a lot of ground in the negotiations.” We are also in favour of searching all avenues for competitive advantage for Bangladesh. Because it is a mega project," he said. Bangladesh and Russia finalised the draft MoU following a three-day meeting last month in Dhaka, where the two countries had agreed on installation of the NPP. Ministry officials said the capacity of the power plant would be finalised in the final deal, but the government decided to set up two plants, each with 1,000-MW capacity. Russia did not specify the financial terms which would be settled after the final agreement, said the officials with direct knowledge of the negotiations. They said Russia was interested to provide loan, probably on easy terms, rather than grant. The Economic Relation Division will settle the financial terms and conditions after the MoU is signed. Russia supplied 10 NPPs last year and has supplied as many as 65 power plants to Iran, India, China, Armenia, Ukraine, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Finland, Bulgaria and Germany. Currently it is constructing 11 plants in different countries. The first initiative to install NPP in Bangladesh in Rooppur, Pabna was taken in 1961. China and South Korea also approached Bangladesh to set up NPP.
Padma Bridge Project
The government has decided to complete the construction of 5.8 kilometre-long Padma Bridge by December 2013, two years ahead of the projected time. Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain disclosed it at the presentation of the inception report on Padma Multiple Bridge12 May, 2009 at a city hotel. Ken Wheeler, consultant of Messrs Maunsell AECOM, assigned to prepare the design of the bridge, presented the report. According to a previous plan, the bridge was proposed to be completed in December, 2015. The minister said various donor and development agencieshave assured them of giving necessary funds for constructing the bridge. The prime minister has desired that the bridge be completed within the tenure of her current administration and be dedicated to the memory of the father of the nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, he said. He said NGOs would be engaged in the process of resettlement of the people affected by the project on May 11, this year. The scheme design will be submitted on June 18 and is expected to be approved on June 25 while pre-qualification documents for main bridge tenders will be provided to the authorities concerned on July 27, Abul Hossain said. The implementation process of the resettlement plan by NGO will begin on September 24 while pre-qualification documents for River Training Works (RTW) will be submitted on November 26, 2009, he said. Tenders will be invited for construction of the main bridge and also the RTW from pre-qualified bidders on January 14 and April 15, 2010 while final drawings of the main bridge and the RTW will be issued on May 6 and 31 the same year. "On receipt of all necessary approvals, construction of the main bridge and the river training works will begin on September 30, 2010," the minister said. "Pre-qualification tenders will contain a strict condition that the construction works will have to be completed within three years from the date of award of the contract," he said. The minister said, "Intended pre-qualified bidders would have to submit their plans, work programmes and bar charts showing how they would implement the project within the stipulated time failing which they would not be pre-qualified." Abul Hossain said on completion, the Padma bridge is expected to boost the country's GDP growth and contribute significantly towards employment generation, poverty alleviation and achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The minister said the issue of land acquisition for the project is being settled in a satisfactory way. "An amount of Tk 147 crore would be sent to Madaripur district for land acquisition and resettlement within a week," the minister said. Besides, Shariatpur and Munshiganj districts would receive Tk 135 and 415 crores in compensations in June and July this year, he said. Abul Hossain sought cooperation from all for implementation of the project, one of the electoral pledges of the ruling party. "The aim of completing the bridge by 2013 is quite ambitious but achievable," said BRAC University Vice Chancellor Prof Jamilur Reza Choudhury, also a member of the panel of experts for the proposed bridge. Representatives from various donor agencies including World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency, and Islamic Development Bank and senior government officials, among others, were present. Secretary (Bridges Division) of communications ministry Abdul Karim, Chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the ministry SK Mujibur Rahman, Economic Relations Division Secretary Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, Agriculture Secretary CQK Mostaq Ahmed, Cabinet Division Secretary M Abdul Aziz and Roads and Railway Division Secretary of communication ministry ASM Ali Kabir also spoke. |