Nuclear security and safeguards in Bangladesh: mapping risks and way out

Abstract

Bangladesh has signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement with the Russian Federation in 2009 to set up two nuclear power reactors. In 1986, the country installed the 3MWth TRIGA Mark-II research reactor. The country possesses category 1 of nuclear and category 1-5 of radioactive materials for the purpose of research, medical and industrial applications. Bangladesh is a party to the nuclear security and safeguards related protocols and agreements. Owing to the global threat of nuclear/radiological terrorism, critics often raise questions about the country's technical and management capabilities to face the challenges of nuclear security and safeguards. This paper not only discusses about the current status and measures of nuclear security and safeguards regimes in Bangladesh but also recommends improving measures for them. Perceiving that the emerging threats derive from adversaries, the paper suggests among others to form a National Nuclear Security Council in order to enhance the State's nuclear security and safeguards capacity.