Nuclear fuel for Rooppur's second unit landed at Dhaka airport late October 2 under tight security, to be transported to Pabna today.
The first cargo plane carrying uranium fuel for unit-2 of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 11:45pm on October 2 under international security guidelines. After unloading, the fuel will be transported to the project site in Rooppur, Pabna, under special security arrangements by the army.
The shipment had been delayed from its original September 24 schedule after Pakistan reportedly denied airspace clearance for the Russian cargo flight. Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom rescheduled the delivery through an alternative route, with additional fuel batches scheduled to arrive by December across seven separate cargo flights.
The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant will produce 2,400 megawatts of electricity when both units are fully operational, enough to power approximately 15 million households. The first unit began fuel loading in April 2026 and is expected to start commercial power generation by December, making Bangladesh the world's 33rd nuclear power-producing country.
Police have been ordered to ensure security on the highway for smooth transportation of the fuel to the construction site. The project is being implemented by Russia's Rosatom with an $11.38 billion loan from Moscow, to be repaid over two decades starting from 2027.