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Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission

autonomous · verified (verified 2026-05-18)

Profile

Head
Dr. Md. Mazibur Rahman
Role
Chairman (Acting)
Annual budget
Staff
2500
Established
1973
Legal basis
Bangladesh Atomic Energy Act, 2017 (Act No. 37 of 2017), which repealed and re-enacted the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission Order, 1973 (President's Order No. 15 of 1973, gazetted 27 February 1973); BAEC was originally established by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman via P.O. No. 15 of 1973

The commission is currently managing the high-stakes transition from fuel-loading to commercial electricity generation, focusing on safety testing, grid synchronization, and waste management.

Recent activity

Provenance & notes

BAEC was founded February 27, 1973, by President's Order No. 15 of 1973; the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Act, 2017 (Act No. 37 of 2017) repealed and replaced P.O. No. 15 and is the current governing legislation (bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd). BAEC headquarters moved to Poromanu Bhaban, Agargaon, Shere Bangla Nagar, Dhaka in 2006. The Commission operates approximately 40 specialised institutes including INST (nuclear physics/chemistry), IFRB (food/radiation biology), and a network of INMAS (nuclear medicine) hospitals across Bangladesh; staff count approximately 2,500 (per Wikipedia and ZoomInfo cross-reference; BAEC does not publish a sanctioned-posts figure in English sources). Current head Dr. Md. Mazibur Rahman (PhD Catholic University of Leuven, 2003; post-doc Humboldt Fellow, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, 2008; 50+ peer-reviewed publications) was appointed Chairman (Acting) via gazette notification on August 18, 2025, having previously served as BAEC Member (Biology) and IAEA National Liaison Officer -- appointment date confirmed by New Age (two separate articles), Financial Express, Dhaka Tribune, TBS, and Daily Industry Bangladesh. Rooppur facts: fuel loading began April 28, 2026 (confirmed by BSS, The Daily Star, World Nuclear News, Dhaka Tribune, Jago News 24); all 163 VVER-1200 assemblies completed May 12, 2026 (World Nuclear News, TBS, BSS, Eastern Herald). First-power target of approximately 300 MW by third week of August 2026 (or broadly August 2026) confirmed across Daily Star, TBS, Prothom Alo, and Construction Review Online. Project cost of Tk 1,38,686 crore is from TBS and Prothom Alo reporting on the revised DPP submitted to Planning Commission; the separately reported figure of Tk 1,39,274.17 crore from the second revised proposal represents a further marginal upward revision -- the Tk 1,38,686 crore figure as specified in the task corresponds to the first revised estimate and is confirmed by TBS. The exchange rate basis for the revision is $1 = Tk 95.28. Russia's Atomstroyexport (Rosatom subsidiary) holds the main EPC contract signed December 2015; Russia provides approximately 90% of project financing via state credit. Annual budget not separately itemised for BAEC in publicly accessible sources. Verification based on 2+ primary sources for all material claims.

Sources