Russia sends cargo in sanctioned ship knowingly: Momen

The foreign minister AK Abdul Momen said they were surprised to see Russia knowingly sending products for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in a sanctioned vessel, imposed by the United States.  

"We didn't expect that," lamented the foreign minister.   

Abdul Momen came up with this reaction on Sunday afternoon while responding to a newsman's query at the foreign ministry.

He said, "We expect that Russia will send the products to the country by a non-sanctioned ship. A total of 69 vessels are under US sanctions. Beyond these, they have several thousands of ships."

Mentioning that the country has a good relationship with the United States, Abdul Momen said, "We have told Russia to send the goods by any other non-sanctioned ship. We will not welcome Russian ships under US sanction."  

The Russian vessel under US sanction named 'URSA MAJOR' has returned from India without unloading the products for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.

The ship waited for around two weeks to unload the cargo in India. However, it failed to get permission from New Delhi to unload the products. Under such circumstances, the vessel left the Indian maritime boundary on 16 January.        

Relevant sources say a vessel ‘URSA MAJOR’, bearing the Russian flag, was supposed to reach Mongla port with cargo for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant on 24 December.

However, on 20 December, the US informed Bangladesh that the vessel carrying the goods is not 'URSA MAJOR'. Rather, it is a ship named ‘Sparta 3’, which is under US embargo. Although the name and colour of the ship has been changed, its IMO (International Marine Organisation) certificate number matches the IMO number of ‘Sparta-3’.

After confirming that the colour and the name of the vessel carrying the Rooppur consignment have been altered, Bangladesh barred it from anchoring in the port.