BD to repay $18.23b for $11.39b Rooppur N-Power plant loan

Dhaka will have to repay $18.23 billion for procuring $11.385 billion loan from Russia for implementing the 2400MW Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
ERD Additional Secretary Abu Mansur Md Faizullah made this disclosure during a question- answer session on the recently signed Inter-ministerial credit agreement with Russia in Moscow.
The government will implement the country's first ever nuclear power plant at the cost of $12.65 billion.  Although the project requirement is $12.65 billion, Bangladesh has to pay $ US 1.17 billion from its own account as per contract with Russia.
The Economic Relations Division official disclosed it on Monday evening at a view- exchange meeting over Rooppur power plant and its model in Russia at a hotel in the capital.
Science Minister Yeafes Osman, Cabinet Secretary  Mohammed Safiul Alam, Prime Minister's Principal Secretary Md Abul Kalam Azad, Public Administration Secretary Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury, Home Secretary Mozammel Huque Khan, Science Secretary Md Sirajul Huque Khan and Finance Secretary Mahbub Ahmed were present at the programme among three dozen secretaries.
Taking part in the discussion Minister for the Science and Technology Yeafes Osman said that the Roopur nuclear power plant project is a friendship goodwill project between the two friendly countries.
"We cannot calculate the value of this project in monetary term only as it is not only a project, but also a technology culture which will help us open a new era in power generation and also give us the courage to say "We Can."
The government will repay $18.23 billion over 30- year period considering present LIBOR rate, ERD Additional Secretary said.
About the project, Prime Minister's Principal Secretary Abul Kalam Azad said the credit deal is the best deal ever in the country's history.
This is the country's largest ever project and the government signed the deal considering country's interest, he said.
Science Minister said it's the right time to change Bangladesh through implementing the project.
Finance Secretary said the division has already released Tk 50 crore for implementation of the project.
Cabinet Secretary Safiul Alam said all the ministries are working together to make the project successful.
During the meeting, secretaries shared their views over their nuclear power plant visit in Russia and said the nuclear power plant is safe and secure technology.
The Science Minister said Bangladesh is going to procure the best technology as EU certified the reactor.