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Bangladesh has called for structured international cooperation on the safe, secure and peaceful deployment of nuclear energy for combating climate change and accelerating sustainable economic growth.
Science and Technology Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam made the call while representing Bangladesh at the inaugural Atomic Technologies Licensed for Applications at Sea (ATLAS) Ministerial Meeting 2026, held in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, August 26.
The opening session featured addresses by US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi. The meeting brought together ministerial delegates and technical experts from 20 countries.
The minister said expanding offshore civilian nuclear applications and advanced small modular reactors (SMRs) could provide reliable baseload, low-carbon electricity.
Given Bangladesh’s high population density and limited domestic fossil fuel reserves, he said, diversifying the country’s energy mix was essential to strengthening industrial resilience.
Anam reiterated Bangladesh’s support for the Paris Agreement’s Global Stocktake framework and endorsed global initiatives aimed at tripling nuclear power capacity by 2050.
Highlighting Bangladesh’s progress in nuclear energy, the minister said the physical startup of Unit 1 of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant marked the country’s operational integration into the global nuclear energy sector.
He stressed that the adoption of innovative reactor technologies must be accompanied by strict adherence to the highest standards of nuclear safety, security and international safeguards.
Describing ATLAS as a strategic global platform, Anam said it brings together policymakers, maritime regulators and nuclear engineers to advance civil nuclear applications at sea.
He reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to working with the IAEA to develop standardized regulatory frameworks and technical expertise for potential future floating nuclear power installations.