The Facts
On Thursday, Bangladesh secured its first shipment of uranium from Russia for its first nuclear power plant in Rooppur that's expected to support the country's electrical grid and improve its growing economy.
The uranium, which arrived in Bangladesh late last month, was turned over to the authorities at a ceremony in Ishwardi, in the northern district of Pabna, with Russia's Vladimir Putin and Bangladesh's Sheikh Hasina attending remotely.
The Spin
Pro-Russia narrative
This delivery marks another significant step towards the completion of the high-tech, large-scale project in Rooppur that will help boost Bangladesh's economy. Given that the South Asian nation hasn't been self-sufficient in electricity, continued cooperation with Moscow in the nuclear energy realm is crucial to developing the country's energy sector as a whole.
Anti-Russia narrative
While nuclear power could be Russia's overlooked trump card in a decarbonizing world, the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is a perfect example of how the Kremlin uses its nuclear energy engagements to gain political influence globally. Bangladesh is dangerously heading towards a path of dependency on Russian resources for a very long time.
