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Monday | November 09, 2026 | Dhaka

Rooppur safety under IAEA review

11-day mission to identify gaps in emergency preparedness
 Staff Reporter
 Published: 12:01 AM, 09 November 2026  Updated: 11:38 PM, 08 November 2026

With Unit-1 of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant approaching the final stages before commercial operation, a 10-member expert team from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has arrived in Bangladesh to assess the project’s emergency preparedness and response mechanisms.

Led by senior IAEA official Mark Breitinger, the team began an 11-day Emergency Preparedness Review (EPREV) mission on Sunday, which will continue until November 18, according to senior officials of the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Bangladesh Atomic Regulatory Authority (BAERA).

The experts have already held separate meetings with the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Health and other government agencies involved in emergency response planning.

The team is scheduled to visit the Rooppur plant on Monday to assess emergency preparedness and response arrangements at the site, BAERA officials informed.

Earlier on Sunday, Md Anwar Hossain, secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology, formally inaugurated the mission at BAERA’s head office in Dhaka.

Speaking to the media, Anwar said emergency preparedness was a mandatory requirement for any nuclear power plant.

“In accordance with IAEA guidelines, we are working to build the highest safety standards for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant and develop a nuclear emergency response mechanism that meets international standards,” he said.

He said the 11-day review would help identify shortcomings, recommend corrective measures and ensure the plant’s safe operation in line with international guidelines.

Emphasising that emergency preparedness could not be handled by a single department, the secretary said coordinated efforts were needed from several government agencies, including the ministries of science and technology, health and disaster management.

“We are working to establish a mechanism aligned with international guidelines to effectively protect people in any emergency situation,” Anwar said.

He also said three on-site emergency shelters had already been established at the project, with a combined capacity to accommodate up to 2,400 plant workers during an emergency.