Pakistan Airspace Denial Delays Bangladesh Nuclear Fuel Shipment
Pakistan denied airspace clearance for a Russian cargo plane carrying uranium for Bangladesh's Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, delaying a shipment scheduled for September 24.
A Russian cargo flight transporting uranium fuel to the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Bangladesh was delayed after failing to secure overflight clearance for Pakistani airspace. The shipment, scheduled to arrive on September 24, was postponed after Faqir Mahbub Anam, Bangladesh's Minister for Science and Technology, confirmed the flight was not granted permission to enter Pakistani airspace.
The Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka described the incident as a technical and procedural matter involving flight routing and civil aviation protocols. The commission urged that the event not be viewed as an attempt to undermine bilateral relations, stating that requests are processed according to standardized regulatory guidelines.
Conflicting reports emerged regarding the shipment's specific purpose. Project director Kabir Hossain linked the flight to a reload requirement for Unit 1, while other reports associated the cargo with the initial fuel load for Unit 2. Russia's Rosatom, which provides technical assistance for the facility, has since proposed a new delivery date for the first week of October.
To avoid further disruptions, Rosatom has scheduled seven additional cargo flights for Unit 2 between October and December using an alternative route. Revised operations are expected to begin around October 1, resolving the immediate transit issue for the 2,400-megawatt facility.
