A delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Bangladesh was committed to continuous improvements in nuclear and radiation safety.  The mission also noted a number of areas where improvements could be made to strengthen the national regulatory infrastructure for nuclear and radiation safety as the country builds its first nuclear power plant (NPP).  

The Consolidated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) team concluded a 13-day visit to Bangladesh on 8 December, IRRS 'first visit to the country.  The mission was conducted at the request of the Government of Bangladesh and hosted by the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (BAERA) in the capital Dhaka to assess Bangladesh's safety regulatory framework against IAEA safety standards.  

Using IAEA safety standards and international good practice, the IRRS mandate aims to strengthen the effectiveness of national regulatory infrastructures, while acknowledging that each country has a responsibility to ensure safety.  

Comprising 15 senior regulatory experts from Canada, Egypt, France, India, Japan, Malta, Pakistan, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as six IAEA staff, the group reviewed the responsibilities and functions of governments and the management and activities of regulatory agencies,  This includes authorization, review and assessment, inspection and enforcement, development of regulations and guidance, and emergency preparedness and response.  

"The self-assessment and initial action plan provided by Bangladesh to the IAEA team prior to the visit provided us with the reference material needed for a comprehensive review of the country's regulatory infrastructure, covering all nuclear and radiological facilities," said Ana Hajduk-Bradford, Director of the IAEA's Nuclear Device Safety Division.  

The mission included interviews and discussions with representatives of BAERA and the Ministry of Science and Technology.  The team visited the BAEC TRIGA Research Reactor, the Central Radioactive waste treatment and storage facility at BAERA, the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Related Sciences, the Plaza Radiotherapy Hospital and the Bangladesh Industrial X-ray Corporation, as well as the construction site of the country's first nuclear power plant, the Ropur Nuclear Power Plant in Pabna, about 200 km west of Dhaka.  Upon completion, the Ropur nuclear power Plant will provide a total of 2,400 megawatts (e) of power to Bangladesh's energy grid.  

"As a country with ambitions for a major nuclear power programme, it is important that the Government of Bangladesh and BAERA work together to achieve the required improvements," said Mark Foy, chief Executive officer and chief nuclear inspector of the UK Office for Nuclear Regulation, who led the mission.  We have the full support and cooperation of BAERA and all other parties in Bangladesh and the review of regulatory, technical and policy issues has been conducted in a constructive and open manner."  

The IRRS team identified some areas of good performance for BAERA.  These include:  

• Seek technical advice from expert committees to inform regulatory decisions related to national nuclear power plants.  

• Efficient planning and use of resources and multiple inspections of medical facilities during regional visits.  

• Develop the BAERA Code of Ethics with a clear commitment to an ethical approach to regulatory activities.  

• The IRRS Group makes several recommendations to further strengthen the regulatory framework for effective oversight of facilities and activities.  

Recommendations and proposals include.  

• Formulating national security policies and strategies in accordance with the IAEA's basic security objectives and principles.  

• Updating the legal framework for nuclear and radiation safety and initiating the revision of the Nuclear Safety and Radiation Control Code, which sets out basic principles and rules for the protection of workers, the public and the environment.  

• Develop BAERA's human resources plan to ensure that a sufficient number of trained, qualified, competent and certified staff are available to effectively perform all its functions.  

"We were pleased to find that our self-assessment effectively pre-addressed some of the mission's findings, which we have incorporated into our action plan," said BAERA President Muzammel Haque.  We will now focus on further improving BAERA's regulatory efficiency by incorporating the other findings of the IRRS report to strengthen our regulatory infrastructure in line with international standards."