Mon Mar 10 11:41:02 UTC 2025: ## IAEA Approves Bangladesh’s First Nuclear Power Plant Amidst Corruption Allegations
**DHAKA, BANGLADESH** – An International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team completed a pre-operational safety review Monday of Bangladesh’s first nuclear power plant at Rooppur, paving the way for its anticipated launch later this year. The 2,400-megawatt plant, the country’s largest, is intended to alleviate energy shortages.
The Russia-backed project, initiated in 2017 under former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has faced significant delays and is embroiled in controversy. The $12.65 billion project, primarily funded by a Russian loan, is currently under investigation by Bangladesh’s interim government following accusations of widespread corruption.
The anti-corruption commission alleges that Hasina and her family embezzled $5 billion from the project, an accusation also leveled against Hasina’s niece, former British Minister Tulip Siddiq, who denies any wrongdoing. These allegations emerged after Hasina’s ouster in a student-led revolution last year.
Project director Md. Zahedul Hassan stated that the IAEA team assessed the plant’s structural, technical, and equipment safety, verifying compliance with IAEA standards. A final safety review is scheduled two to three months before the anticipated mid-year loading of nuclear fuel into the twin reactors. Transmission lines connecting the plant to the national grid are expected to be completed by the end of this month. Despite the ongoing corruption investigation, the plant’s imminent operation signals a significant step forward for Bangladesh’s energy infrastructure.
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