‘Technical issue’: Pakistan denies airspace to Russian nuclear fuel shipment flight to Bangladesh's Rooppur

Pakistan denied airspace permission to a Russian flight carrying uranium shipment for Bangladesh's Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, citing “technical issues.”

The Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka said that Islamabad “maintains an unwavering commitment to international diplomatic norms. (Reuters/ Bloomberg)The disruption of the uranium transport to Rooppur was confirmed by Bangladesh's minister for science and technology, Faqir Mahbub Anam.

“We heard that a cargo plane carrying uranium for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Bangladesh was scheduled to arrive on September 24. However, the flight was not given permission to use Pakistani airspace, so the uranium did not arrive in Bangladesh as planned,” Anam told news agency ANI. He added that a new date had been proposed for the shipment, with Russia suggesting the first week of October for the Uranium to land in Bangladesh.

The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, Bangladesh’s first nuclear power facility, is being constructed in Rooppur village with support from the Russian Federation’s State Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom).

In a clarification released on Tuesday, the Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka said that Islamabad “maintains an unwavering commitment to international diplomatic norms and processes all requests for diplomatic flight and overflight clearances within a standardised, predictable timeframe, strictly in accordance with our established regulatory guidelines and civil aviation protocols.”

“With regard to the reports being quoted, the matter appears to relate to technical and procedural arrangements concerning flight routing and airspace permissions, which can occasionally require coordination among the relevant aviation and other authorities and may result in adjustments to flight schedules,” it added, according to ANI.

The Pakistan High Commission further said that the country “attaches high importance to its relations with Bangladesh”, while urging for the matter to be viewed in a technical context only. It called for not attaching “undue significance to reports or narratives that may seek to misplace it to undermine our bilateral relations.”

The uranium shipment was being flown in for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant and was the first batch of nuclear fuel for unit-2 of the facility. However, it was postponed on September 24 owing to the lack of airspace clearance.

An official, requesting anonymity, told The Daily Star that the cargo was scheduled to fly over four countries – Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, and India – before entering Bangladesh.

Representatives from Rosatom’s PR agency told The Daily Star that nuclear fuel shipments for the second unit would resume in October via an alternative route. “The remaining fuel batches bound for Bangladesh will arrive by December across seven separate cargo flights,” the spokesperson said.

In a statement, Rosatom said the delivery of nuclear fuel for unit-2 would begin in October and continue through December this year, with the supplies to be completed by the end of December. The nuclear fuel delivery for unit-1 of the power plant was completed in 2023.

The nuclear facility, located along the banks of the Padma River in Pakshi Union, Ishwardi Upazila, Pabna District, is being built under the oversight of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, and with technical assistance from Rosatom. The project involves construction of two third-generation VVER-1200 reactor units, which will collectively generate 2,400 megawatts of baseload electricity, ANI news agency reported.

Arya Mishra is a Content Producer at Hindustan Times, based in New Delhi, and a key member of the digital news team focusing on urgent breaking developments across India and the world. With a sharp editorial instinct and strong reporting skills, Arya covers high-impact crime incidents, public safety and justice issues, political developments, education policy and international affairs, consistently delivering clear, accurate and timely journalism. Her recent reporting highlights include detailed coverage of serious criminal cases, politics as well as analyses of national education reforms and international diplomatic moves. On the world news front, she has written about global trade policy changes and security developments, including tariff shifts by the United States and strategic counter-terrorism strategies being rolled out by Ministry of Home Affairs. Arya thrives in fast-paced environments – running live blogs, crafting in-depth explainers and real-time news coverage that keeps readers informed as stories evolve. Before joining Hindustan Times, she was a part of The Indian Express online team. Outside the newsroom, she is an avid reader, with a love for thriller and suspense fiction, and enjoys music as a way to unwind. With more than three years of experience in dynamic newsrooms, Arya brings curiosity, clarity and commitment to every story she covers.Read More