Staff Correspondent, Dhaka:
Bangladesh and the United States have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on strategic civil nuclear cooperation, adding a new dimension to bilateral ties at a time when Dhaka is seeking to diversify its long-term energy sources.
The agreement was signed in New York on September 25 by Prime Minister’s Adviser for Science and Technology Rehan Asad and US Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jacob Helberg. The MoU focuses on cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy and related areas.
The agreement comes after Washington proposed civil nuclear cooperation during US Special Envoy for South and Central Asia Sergio Gor’s recent visit. On August 3, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam said Bangladesh viewed the proposal positively but would assess any agreement against national interests.
The new framework has an energy-security dimension. The two sides recognize the potential role of nuclear power in meeting energy requirements while committing civil nuclear cooperation to standards covering nuclear safety, security, safeguards, and non-proliferation. Both countries have IAEA safeguards agreements and Additional Protocols in force and are parties to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
For Bangladesh, the agreement potentially expands international cooperation in nuclear science and technology beyond the country’s ongoing Rooppur project, which is being developed with Russian technical support. It also follows a broader Bangladesh-US energy cooperation MoU signed in May.
The pact therefore places nuclear cooperation within a wider Bangladesh-US discussion on energy security, technology, and strategic engagement, while its practical significance will depend on how the framework is translated into specific projects and cooperation mechanisms.
