CHITTAGONG: A 36-member joint team comprising US, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan experts will start working today for the recovery of radioactive goods of a cargo container at the Chittagong port.
After the recovery, the experts will also try to store the materials safely.
A panel of nine experts of the US Department of Energy arrived in Bangladesh on January 11 at the Chittagong Customs House’s request, after the radioactive goods-laden container was detected in April last year.
Other members of the joint team include six experts of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission and five of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority.
The team yesterday conducted a training programme near the detected cargo container at the port.
One Mabia Steel Company Chittagong in April last year exported a consignment of five containers carrying scrapped stainless steel which were loaded off at Sitakunda and shipped through Chittagong port for India via Colombo Port.
On April 29, Colombo port authorities identified one of the containers with radiation and later the Atomic Energy Authority of Sri Lanka found out that one or more items of a container were contaminated.
Chittagong Customs Assistant Commissioner Ahmedur Reza said since the country lacked logistic supports and previous experience to recover and store such radioactive goods safely, they sought the help from the foreign experts.
