The Bangladesh government has opted to pay 10% of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project’s total contract value in Bangladeshi currency instead of US dollars due to US sanctions on Atomstroyexport’s bank and a USD shortage. This amounts to approximately $15 million. The decision was approved by the Project Implementation Committee to ensure project continuity amid financial constraints. Originally discussed in a 2023 meeting, a supplemental contract was signed under the General Contract to facilitate these payments. The overall construction contract value is $12.65 billion, with 90% covered by Russian loans and the remaining 10% ($1.265 billion) to be paid upfront by Bangladesh. Payments, as per the contract, are scheduled in 32 installments from July 2016 to June 2024, with most already paid by 2021. To navigate sanctions-related delays, Bangladesh established a foreign currency account for Atomstroyexport at Sonali Bank, but ongoing dollar shortages are hindering payments, impacting the bank’s operations and international transactions.
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