Staff Correspondent:

Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus said on Thursday that the Rooppur power plant is expected to start generating power on a trial basis by the end of this year.

Dr Yunus said this to Alexei Overchuk, Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, on the sidelines of the Boao Forum for Asia Conference in China.

Dr Yunus told Overchuk that financial issues over the Rooppur power plant have been sorted out, with Bangladesh repaying the money in an account in Dhaka.

During the meeting, the two leaders discussed issues of mutual interest, including the operation of the Russian-funded Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, Bangladesh’s plan to import wheat and fertiliser from Russia and Gazprom’s gas exploration work in Bangladesh.

The chief adviser said Bangladesh would import more wheat and fertiliser from Russia. Bangladesh was also keen to see Russian energy giant Gazprom conduct more offshore and onshore exploration activities in the country.

Alexei Overchuk stressed increasing people-to-people contact between the two countries, saying Russia would like to see more Bangladeshi students studying in the country.

He said Russia would like to export more wheat and fertiliser to Bangladesh.

Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain, Energy and Transport Adviser Fouzul Kabir Khan, and High Representative of the Chief Adviser, Dr Khalilur Rahman were also present during the meeting.