Pakistan Blocks Airspace for Russian Flight Carrying Nuclear Fuel to Bangladesh
A Russian cargo flight carrying nuclear fuel for Bangladesh’s Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant was unable to reach the country after Pakistan did not grant the required airspace clearance, delaying a shipment that had been scheduled for September 24. Bangladesh has since been informed of a revised delivery schedule, with the fuel expected to arrive from October.
The delivery of essential nuclear fuel for Bangladesh’s Rooppur nuclear power plant has faced a setback after Pakistan denied airspace clearance to a Russian cargo flight. The flight, carrying uranium for the project's second unit, was originally scheduled to arrive on September 24, but faced eleventh-hour restrictions.
The disruption comes at a critical juncture for Dhaka, which is grappling with a severe domestic energy crisis and racing to operationalize its first nuclear power facility. How Russia Recruits Americans and Foreigners for Brutal Ukraine ‘Meatgrinder’ Fronts.
Pakistan Denies Airspace Clearance
The Russian state-owned atomic energy corporation, Rosatom, is responsible for executing the Rooppur project and delivering the nuclear fuel shipments. According to Bangladeshi officials, the cargo flight was intended to transit through Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, and India before landing in Dhaka.
Bangladesh Science and Technology Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam confirmed that permission to use Pakistani airspace was denied without a specific reason provided to Islamabad's counterparts at the time. Meanwhile, the Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka attributed the refusal to procedural and technical matters, urging observers not to misinterpret the decision regarding bilateral relations. Russia-Ukraine War: Over 500,000 Russian Troops Killed, UK Defence Chief Says.
Rescheduling and Alternative Routes
Following the airspace denial, Rosatom rescheduled the transport using an alternative route. Shipments are set to resume in October, with the remaining fuel batches scheduled to arrive via seven cargo flights by December. Project developers have assured Bangladeshi authorities that the revised logistics plan will not disrupt the overarching timeline.
The Pakistan High Commission emphasized that the transit issue should be viewed strictly within its technical context, downplaying any political implications amid recent diplomatic outreach between the two nations.
Context of Bangladesh's Energy Crisis
The delay affects a high-priority infrastructure initiative. For over two months, Bangladesh has faced severe power shortages, marked by prolonged load-shedding and constrained industrial output across the garment and manufacturing sectors. The energy crunch has been exacerbated by heavy reliance on imported natural gas and global supply chain vulnerabilities.
The Rooppur nuclear plant, situated along the Padma River, is central to Dhaka's strategy to secure a stable domestic energy supply. With testing phases underway, trial power generation is slated for October, and commercial operations are expected to commence by December, positioning Bangladesh to diversify its power grid.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 29, 2026 04:41 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
