A step towards establishing nuclear safety infrastructure for introduction of nuclear power programme in Bangladesh

The existing regulatory infrastructure for nuclear power of Bangladesh consists of Nuclear Safety and Radiation Control (NSRC) Act, 1993 and NSRC Rules 1997, which was established based on the IAEA BSS 115, overlooking other Safety Standards. Bangladesh made a knowledgeable decision regarding implementation of NPP. Accordingly, the country is committed to establish an independent regulatory body with appropriate resources and empowerment to regulate the safety and security of nuclear installations. A draft ‘Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory (BAER) Act’ with input from the IAEA and vendor countries is already under consideration for approval of the government. The draft BAER Act establishes an independent ‘Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority’ for the regulation of nuclear safety, radiation protection, transportation and waste safety and the civil liability for nuclear damage. The important elements of the BAER Act have been analysed in this paper, and some critical issues are identified.