Dhaka, Moscow to ink nine deals

Dhaka has finalised three agreements in various areas including defence purchase and setting up of a nuclear power plant for signing during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s four-day official visit to Russia from January 14.

The two countries will also ink six memorandums of understanding (MoU) in different areas of agriculture, health, education, culture, law and justice and counter-terrorism.

Foreign Minister Dipu Moni on Sunday disclosed the total of ten bilateral cooperation instruments in a press briefing at her ministry in the capital.

The three agreements which will be placed for signature are — agreements for the State Export Credit for financing the preparatory works of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant – for a maximum amount of US$ 500 million, agreements for establishment of a Nuclear Energy Information Centre in Dhaka – which actually would be in the premises of Bangabandhu Novo Theatre and agreement for the State Export Credit for financing defense purchase (for UD$ 1 billion), said a foreign ministry handout.

The prime minister will fly to Moscow by a special flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines at 9:00am on Monday.

During the visit, Hasina will be accompanied by a high powered delegation, including Foreign Minister Dipu Moni and State Minister for Science and Technology Yeafesh Osman and other senior civil and military officials.

On Tuesday, she will hold talks with Russian President Vladimir V Putin at his Kremlin office which will be followed by signing of deals, likely in the areas of education and culture.

On the day, she will also have meetings with Chairperson of the Council of the Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Valentina I. Matvienko and Minister for Communication and Mass Media of the Russian Federation Nikolay Nikiforov.

On Wednesday, the prime minister will address the faculty members and students of Moscow State University. The theme of the speech will be “Contemporary Bangladesh-perspectives for Collaboration with Russia”.

Later, she will have a meeting with General Director for State Atomic Energy Corporation ‘ROSATOM’ of the Russian Federation Sergey Kirienko.

Source: The Daily Star