High Court Issues Rule Over Alleged Illegal Termination of 18 Nuclear Engineers at Rooppur

Staff Reporter

Rooppur, June 30, 2025: The High Court has issued a rule following the preliminary hearing of a writ petition challenging the legality of the termination of 18 engineers and scientific officers of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant Company Bangladesh Limited (NPCBL), employed at the Rooppur Nuclear Power Project.

A High Court bench comprising Justice Akram Hossain Chowdhury and Justice Foyez Ahmed issued the rule on Sunday, June 29.

The rule questions why the order to terminate the 18 concerned officers should not be declared illegal and unlawful, and why they should not be reinstated to their positions with full service continuity and benefits.

Additionally, the court directed the swift disposal of the application submitted by the writ petitioners to the Chairman of the Board of Directors of NPCBL, demanding the withdrawal of the termination order.

Supreme Court lawyer SM Mahidul Islam Sajib represented the writ petitioners in court.

It may be noted that on May 8, an order signed by the Managing Director (MD) of NPCBL, stating “services no longer required,” terminated the 18 officers and scientists. They filed a writ petition in the High Court against this decision. Additionally, on May 12, they applied to the Board Chairman to cancel the termination.

In their petition, the writ petitioners stated that they were appointed to permanent positions and signed a bond with a 10-year service obligation at the time of joining. After two years of satisfactory service, they underwent theoretical, practical, and on-site training at Russia’s Rosatom Technical Academy, funded by the government at a cost of nearly Tk 1 crore, and passed the evaluation exams. Subsequently, their services were made permanent, and they were also promoted.

A reliable source from the project revealed that a certain group attempted to prove their appointments were illegal by labeling them as Awami League supporters. When this attempt failed, various malpractices were allegedly carried out to terminate them despite their status as internationally trained nuclear scientists.

This incident has raised numerous questions about the professionalism and impartiality of the Rooppur project, according to concerned circles.