Rooppur uranium shipment eventually reaches Bangladesh via Pakistan airspace

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A uranium shipment for the first unit of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant arrived in Bangladesh from Russia late Friday, landing at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at around 11:30 PM. The aircraft reportedly used Pakistan’s airspace on its way to Bangladesh.

The flight’s overflight clearance from Pakistan had earlier faced delays, with Pakistani authorities citing technical issues.

Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sajjad Haider said applications for diplomatic flights and overflights are processed under international law, diplomatic regulations, established guidelines and civil aviation protocols. He added that coordination between aviation and other authorities over technical and procedural matters can sometimes lead to changes in flight schedules.

Officials from the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority are set to receive the shipment at the airport. It will then be transported to Rooppur under army security.

Science and Technology Minister Fakir Mahbub Anam had earlier said preparations were complete to move the shipment to Rooppur after it arrived in Dhaka.

More uranium assemblies are scheduled to arrive for the Rooppur project in the coming months. Nine additional flights are expected between November and December, carrying 48 assemblies for the first unit and 163 for the second. The shipments will travel from Russia through Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, Afghanistan and India before reaching Bangladesh.