At the last minute, Pakistan blocks Russian flight carrying Bangladesh’s nuclear fuel

Islamabad: Pakistan has denied airspace clearance to a Russian flight carrying nuclear fuel for Bangladesh’s Rooppur nuclear power plant, forcing Rosatom to reroute the shipment as Dhaka seeks to accelerate the plant’s start-up amid a severe electricity crisis.

A Russian flight carrying nuclear fuel for Bangladesh’s Rooppur nuclear power plant was unable to use Pakistani airspace after Islamabad reportedly denied the required clearance. The shipment, which was expected to arrive in Bangladesh on September 24, has now been rescheduled through an alternative route.

Bangladesh’s science and technology minister Faqir Mahbub Anam said Pakistan had not provided clearance but that Dhaka had not been given a specific reason for the decision. The planned flight route was to pass through Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan and India before reaching Dhaka.

Bangladesh officials said preparations at the airport had already been completed when Rosatom informed them that the flight had not received Pakistani airspace permission.

Rosatom changes delivery route

Russia’s state-owned nuclear energy company Rosatom is responsible for supplying nuclear fuel for the Rooppur project. Following the airspace issue, the company has reportedly shifted the delivery to an alternative route.

Rosatom said the remaining fuel shipments would arrive in Bangladesh through seven cargo flights by December. The company has also said the change in route would not affect the overall project schedule.

Pakistan’s High Commission in Dhaka attributed the incident to technical and procedural issues. It said the matter should be viewed in that context rather than as an issue affecting Pakistan-Bangladesh relations.

The issue was reportedly not discussed during a meeting between Pakistan’s High Commissioner Imran Haider and Bangladesh’s junior foreign affairs minister Humaiun Kobir.

Why the Rooppur plant matters

The Rooppur nuclear power project is Bangladesh’s first nuclear power plant and is being constructed along the Padma River with Russian assistance.

The project has faced delays linked to the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war. Bangladesh began loading nuclear fuel into Unit 1 in April, marking a major step towards producing its first nuclear-generated electricity.

Testing entered its final phase in August, with preparations underway to supply about 300 MW to the national grid on a trial basis in October. Commercial generation is expected to begin in December, according to the report.

Bangladesh faces severe power shortages

The fuel-delivery issue comes as Bangladesh faces a prolonged electricity crisis. Rural areas have reportedly experienced load-shedding lasting between 10 and 16 hours a day, while electricity shortages have affected hospitals and industrial production.

Garment, food, ceramics and pharmaceutical factories have reportedly reduced production because of unreliable power supplies.

Bangladesh remains heavily dependent on gas-fired power generation and has increasingly relied on imported natural gas. Disruptions to global energy supplies linked to conflict in the Middle East have added pressure to the country’s energy system.

The government is therefore seeking to bring Rooppur online as soon as possible. Once operational, the plant is expected to provide a large source of stable electricity and reduce some of Bangladesh’s dependence on imported energy.

The immediate impact is logistical rather than a confirmed cancellation of the Rooppur fuel delivery. Rosatom has indicated that the shipment will be rerouted and that the overall project schedule is not expected to change.

However, the incident highlights the importance of airspace and transport corridors for the delivery of nuclear fuel. Any prolonged disruption could complicate the carefully scheduled fuel-loading and commissioning process.

For Bangladesh, the timing is particularly significant because Rooppur is being developed as part of efforts to expand reliable domestic electricity generation while the country is dealing with severe energy shortages.