Country report in Bangladesh

The various applications of radioisotopes and radiation sources are rapidly increasing in Bangladesh. Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) has taken up the comprehensive program for nuclear science and technology including setting up a 3 MW TRIGA Mark 2 research reactor and a 14 MeV neutron generator at Atomic Energy Research Establishment (AERE), and a 3 MeV positive Van de Graaff accelerator at Dhaka. Two Co-60 irradiation facilities in Dhaka and Savar, an isotope production laboratory at Savar, and several nuclear medicine centers have been in operation. In order to ensure the safety of radiation workers and general public, area and personnel radiation monitorings are essential, and it's necessary to calibrate and standardize periodically the instruments. For this purpose, the secondary standard dosimetry laboratory (SSDL) was established at the AERE, Savar. The existing SSDL facilities, the specifications of the calibrators, and the list of ionization chambers, probes and so on are shown. 'Nuclear safety and radiation control regulations' was implemented. A study has been performed to determine the energy-dependent calibration factors of ion chambers. (K.I.)