- Pakistan denied airspace for Bangladesh-bound nuclear fuel flight.
- Flight carried uranium for Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
- Pakistan cited "technical glitch," Bangladesh questions motive.
Did Pakistan deliberately refuse a critical Bangladesh-bound flight carrying nuclear fuel meant for its Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant? The question surrounding this in the diplomatic arena is significant, as Islamabad violated international norms at a time when Bangladesh is enduring one of its worst energy crises in decades. The country is marked by daily 8-to-16-hour blackouts, industrial shutdowns, and mandatory 8:00 PM commercial closures.
In order to clarify, Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Bangladesh is not yet fully functional or supplying commercial power to the national grid, but it has entered its final pre-operational testing and commissioning phase.
What happened with the plane carrying nuclear reactor fuel for Bangladesh?
The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, Bangladesh's first nuclear power facility, is being constructed in Rooppur village, located along the banks of the Padma River in Pakshi Union, Ishwardi Upazila, Pabna District. A cargo plane took off from Russia carrying the uranium fuel for Unit 2 of the plant and was supposed to arrive on September 24. But it has not arrived yet because the airspace is not clear.
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However, Pakistan has now come up with a clarification of a "technical glitch." It is important to note here that whenever such planes take off, there is a proper mechanism in place and prior approval of the airspaces that the plane is scheduled to pass through. Therefore, Pakistan’s excuse of a mere technical glitch is hard to digest.
“We had completed all the preparations at the airport and were waiting, but the liaison officer from Rosatom told us that the airspace was not clear. So we couldn’t send it. It may need to be rescheduled,” Sheikh Mohammed Tauhidul Islam, Joint Secretary to the Bangladesh Science and Technology Ministry, told ANI over the phone.
"Had followed all international protocols": Pakistan
However, Pakistani officials claimed that it abides by international norms and established regulatory guidelines, but a technical glitch had led to the refusal of airspace.
“Pakistan maintains an unwavering commitment to international diplomatic norms and processes all requests for diplomatic flight and overflight clearances within a standardised, predictable timeframe, strictly in accordance with our established regulatory guidelines and civil aviation protocols,” the Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka said in a clarification on Tuesday.
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“With regard to the reports being quoted, the matter appears to relate to technical and procedural arrangements concerning flight routing and airspace permissions, which can occasionally require coordination among the relevant aviation and other authorities and may result in adjustments to flight schedules,” it added.
“Pakistan attaches high importance to its relations with Bangladesh, and it would therefore be appropriate to view the matter in its proper technical context and not attach undue significance to reports or narratives that may seek to misplace it to undermine our bilateral relations,” the Pakistan High Commission said.
The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, Bangladesh’s first nuclear power facility, is being constructed in Rooppur village, located along the banks of the Padma River in Pakshi Union, Ishwardi Upazila, Pabna District.
(With inputs from ANI)