Bangladeshi politician and former State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad A. Arafat has strongly criticized the remarks made by BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman regarding the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
In a Facebook post, Mohammad A. Arafat said that Tarique Rahman claimed the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant was being constructed through loans and at four times the actual cost. However, Arafat argued that Tarique failed to provide any factual explanation or evidence to support such claims.
He mentioned that an international comparative report on nuclear power plant construction costs clearly showed that the Rooppur project was being implemented at a competitive cost. According to him, allegations of excessive spending are merely “propaganda.”
In his post, Arafat also challenged Tarique Rahman, saying, “Build a similar power plant at one-fourth of the cost first, then make such comments.”
Responding to concerns about the project’s loan burden, the former state minister said the project was financed for the benefit of the people of Bangladesh, and the people themselves would use the electricity generated from it. He added that the loan repayment would also come from the country’s own economy and public resources.
Mohammad A. Arafat further stated that nearly 20 million people would benefit from affordable electricity from the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant over the next 60 years. He claimed that, in the long run, the per-unit cost of electricity generated from the project would be lower than that of other power generation projects in the country.
He also described the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant as an important part of Bangladesh’s energy diversification strategy and called it a major blessing for the nation.
At the end of his statement, Arafat wrote, “Understanding this requires minimum knowledge, honesty, and capability.”
