Energy cooperation has been the backbone of Bangladesh-Russia economic relations: Ambassador

Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh Aleksandr Mantytsky has said the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, the megaproject of the State Corporation Rosatom, will strengthen the energy security of Bangladesh.

“Energy cooperation has always been the backbone of our economic relations. Gazprom company has successfully drilled 20 gas wells in the south of your country,” he said.

The ambassador was speaking at a reception on the occasion of Russian Day on Sunday evening. Agriculture Minister Dr Mohammad Abdur Razzaque spoke as the chief guest.

The agriculture minister highlighted the importance of the relationship between Bangladesh and Russia and remembered the role of the latter during the Liberation War. “Russia is always in our heart,” he said.

Russia and Bangladesh have been maintaining “close friendship and cooperation” since 1971, when the then USSR whole-heartedly supported the Liberation War.

The Russian ambassador said his country remains committed to ensuring Bangladesh’s food security, steadily supplying wheat and fertilizers.

“I am sure that the bonds of sincere friendship between Russia and Bangladesh and their people will keep on thriving in the years ahead,” he said.

In 2021, Ambassador Mantytsky said that Russia-Bangladesh bilateral trade volume reached a record amount of almost US$ 3 billion.

Despite “artificial external obstacles and counterproductive sanction policy” employed by the Western states, the envoy said their governments and business communities are promptly adjusting to the new reality and determined to expand the trade relations to attain new heights.

Moscow and Dhaka have no major unresolved political issues, strongly advocate multilateralism and non-alignment in international relations, spare no efforts in countering terrorism, extremism, cybercrime, xenophobia, neo-colonialism and climate change, said the ambassador.

“Dynamic interactions within international organizations enable us to efficiently coordinate efforts to these ends,” he said.

Over the years, the ambassador said, they have developed different mechanisms of bilateral interaction, such as the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation, foreign office consultations, parliamentary friendship groups, friendship societies and working groups.

Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni, political leaders, ambassadors and high commissioners stationed in Dhaka, civil society members, and senior journalists were present at the event.