On the occasion of the 3rd anniversary of ‘First Concrete Day of RNPP’, the Public Information Center on Nuclear Ishwardi has officially been inaugurated with a small ceremony with strict adherence to the anti-covid rules imposed by the government.
The Public Information Center on Nuclear was jointly agreed to be operated by the ‘Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission’ and a non-profit organization “Energy of the Future”. The PIC will help to remove information barriers and provide the greater Pabna residents with an opportunity to get answers to their questions on the use of nuclear energy, features of the Rooppur NPP operation, radiation safety, social initiatives and activities such as RNPP job opportunities and other issues.
The ceremony was commenced at 3pm, on November 30 on the PIC premises on the 1st floor of old engineering division building in Ishwardi municipality office. Engr. Dr. Md. Abdus Salam was present to cut the ceremonial ribbon to mark the beginning of the operation of this information center. A number of officials from BAEC were present at the ceremony along with ANO Energy of the Future and AtomStroyExport (ASE) officials. The honorable mayor of Ishwardi municipality, Mr. Abul Kalam Azad Mintu was present with many of the municipality counselors.
Engr. Dr. Md. Abdus Salam was very enthusiastic about the inauguration of the PIC. He said, “The Rooppur people has always been very helpful to the cause of the RNPP.”
The honorable mayor of the Ishwardi municipality, Mr. Abul Kalam Azad Mintu said that he was born in the very neighborhood that the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant is growing upon. So, the power plant has a warm place in his heart.
After the inauguration ceremony, an informative seminar was organized for the local journalists of Ishwardi and Pabna on the topic “Basics of pressure vessel and what are its functions in a Nuclear Power Plant”. The speaker for this seminar was Dr. Pretam Kumar Das, Chairman and Associate Professor of Department of Physics, Pabna University of Science and Technology. The journalists asked their relevant questions to the speaker afterwards.
The speaker highlighted “the father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was such a visionary that he could foresee what we would achieve in 50 years”. He emphasized that the RNPP is being built with the latest technology at hand. So, the people have nothing to worry about.
The Public Information Center on Nuclear will start its offline activities when this will become possible and the existing restrictions are lifted. But now, according to the Project Manager Mr. Sakif Ahmed, PIC plans to continue its activities through online mediums such as Facebook, YouTube, Zoom etc. He reminded that almost one year ago the virtual PIC was opened with the web address www.bdnuclear.energy.
Sakif Ahmed added, that “we constantly receive typical questions from visitors to the virtual PIC and, with the help of Russian experts, provide them with prompt and correct answers to any questions on nuclear issues. At the same time, a variety of information about the nuclear industry, Rooppur NPP, and the PIC activities are available to all the visitors. For example, we recently published detailed guides for teachers on organizing three school lessons on energy and self-development. I am very happy that now I have the opportunity to communicate with visitors in person. But in any case, I continue to urge you to use the available online resource bdnuclear.energy (especially under the restrictions of Covid-19)”.
The PIC will be operational every day of the week except Sundays. The working hours will be 10am-5pm. For queries, please, email at bdnuclear@gmail.com.
