The Russian experts claim that the third generation technology has the capacity to stay fine in earthquake, tsunami and wartime. MoU done for a pre-feasibility study over the 2000MW Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.

Well, this project is underway in Pabna, revived a couple of years ago, initiated in 1967. The Russian govt will give $500 million for this project.

However, opposition over the project is active in the country.

Stunning was the $1 billion defence deal on buying armoured vehicles, infantry weapons, air defence systems and Mi-17 transport helicopters. The issue surfaced only two days before the PM’s visit!

Why this BIG thing took place all in a sudden? And why buying ARMS at all and on CREDIT? WHY NOW?

This is the second visit by a Bangladesh premier since 1972. So it was a significant one, indeed.

Well, she has done one good thing in her three-day visit: showed courage to sit with the US rival on defence issues when she had signed cooperation agreements on defence issues with the US, and under the scheme the US troops and naval trainers are coming regularly. The PM also bypassed China in buying arms.

The govt has also defended the credit deal by saying that those would be needed for advanced trainings to better contribute in the UN Peacekeeping Missions where most of those Bangladesh are defence persons and some from police. Other arms would be used by the air force.

But I can’t stand buying ARMS, and NOW!!! I hate WARS, go for non-violent measures, but believe in resistance against oppression.

My brain is asking me: why has the PM prioritised this issue NOW??? To make the army leadership happy by giving them scopes to plunder money ahead of next polls which is still uncertain? Or to bully the US? Or both?

And why so secretely done?

As a citizen, I’ll have to pay the loan back to Russia within 15 years at a high interest rate. But I DENY to do so, because it’s ARMS that I hate.

I must also mention that there have been half a dozen of other deals signed over cooperation in different sectors.

The armed forces on Jan 21, 2013 briefed media over the arms procurement. An official said the arms armed forces using now are obsolete and for the UN missions a bit unsmart. The procurement agreement came after a two and a half year’s talks and the conditions are flexible. Bangladesh considers cost cut while buying arms, no matter origin; bought fourth-generation tanks from China. In the last four years Bangladesh bought several warships and other equipment from the UK and China while a frigate being collected from the US. The loan was taken at an intetest rate of 4.5% and it’d paid back in 20 installments in 15 years. It’s a govt to govt deal and there’s no agent in between. Bangladesh manufactures 12000 rifles a year and also grenade, cannon shell and ammunition.