Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is currently in Bangladesh for a two-day visit, marking the first visit of a Russian dignitary to the country since its independence in 1971. The visit comes at a crucial juncture, with the evolving situations concerning the Rooppur nuclear power plant, the Rohingya crisis, and the Ukraine war expected to be high on the agenda.
Lavrov arrived in Dhaka on Thursday afternoon and is scheduled to have bilateral talks with his Bangladesh counterpart AK Abdul Momen. He will also call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday morning before leaving for New Delhi to attend the G20 Summit slated for September 9-10.
Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen told The Financial Express that the bilateral talks would focus on resolving various problems that Bangladesh is facing due to supply-chain disruptions, especially in regards to food, fuels, and fertilizers, caused by sanctions and counter-sanctions following the Ukraine war. "We will discuss how to resolve these problems. Besides, we will call for a peaceful settlement of the Ukraine crisis," he said.
Bangladesh imports wheat and fertilizer from both Russia and Ukraine, leading suppliers of food grains across the globe. The country is also facing difficulties in repaying a loan to Russia due to sanctions imposed on Russian banks. Russia is funding 90% of the $12.6 billion Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project which Bangladesh has to repay over 28 years following a 10-year grace period.
The recent sanctions enforced by the United States on Russian businesses have put Bangladesh in a tricky situation regarding payments for this project. Officials from the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Economic Relations Division confirmed that an alternative payment arrangement for clearing dues to Russia is under process.
The bilateral talks are also expected to cover the Rohingya issue. Russia has warm ties with Myanmar authorities and is a key supplier of military hardware to the reclusive Myanmar regime. "We will also discuss the Rohingya crisis and how to resolve it," Foreign Minister Mr Momen said about the refugee crisis that has been hanging over with a China-brokered bilateral repatriation deal virtually stalled so far.
Lavrov's visit demonstrates the warmth of Bangladesh's ties with Russia amid strained relations with the United States following sanctions against RAB and open-ended visa restrictions. This trip is seen as significant among foreign-relations analysts considering the changed geopolitical context emerging over the Russia-Ukraine war.
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