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Work is progressing rapidly to supply 300 megawatts of electricity from the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant to Bangladesh's national grid within next month, Russian Ambassador to Dhaka Aleksandr Khozin has stated.
The envoy confirmed the timeline on Wednesday (September 16) during a courtesy call on FBCCI Administrator Fazlul Hoque at the apex trade body's Gulshan office, according to an FBCCI press release.
During the meeting, both sides held extensive discussions on the overall progress of the Rooppur project. Ambassador Khozin noted that approximately 4,000 Russian specialists and engineers are working around the clock to swiftly address the plant's technical configurations.
To further consolidate bilateral trade, investment, and economic engagement, the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry has shown deep interest in establishing a joint "Russia-Bangladesh Business Council", the ambassador remarked. In addition, plans are underway to organize a major "Russia-Bangladesh Business Forum" in Moscow. Formal announcements regarding these initiatives are expected during the upcoming Intergovernmental Commission meeting scheduled for early November in Dhaka. The planned forum will feature tailored business-to-business (B2B) networking sessions matched to the sectoral profiles of participating Bangladeshi entrepreneurs.
FBCCI Administrator Fazlul Hoque called for diversifying trade beyond the traditional ready-made garments (RMG) sector by tapping into high-potential merchandise. He emphasized expanding exports of Bangladeshi generic pharmaceuticals, leather and leather goods, jute and jute products, and ceramics to Russia, alongside deploying skilled human resources.
In response, the Russian envoy noted that the Russian Ministry of Health is actively reviewing legal and regulatory frameworks to facilitate imports of generic medicines from Bangladesh. He also observed that Russia has substantial domestic market demand for heavy winter footwear and leather merchandise suitable for sub-zero climates.
Touching upon employment opportunities, Ambassador Khozin highlighted emerging labor openings across agriculture, fisheries, shipbuilding, and the service sectors in Russia, revealing that Russia has already issued visas to around 3,000 Bangladeshi workers in recent months.
