Bangladesh to Import 14 More LNG Cargoes

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has given in-principle approval to import 14 more cargoes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to maintain a steady gas supply across the country. The approval was given at a meeting chaired by Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury on Wednesday (August 19). Meanwhile, the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase approved a proposal from the Energy and Mineral Resources Division to import one LNG cargo from Singapore-based Aramco Trading Singapore Pte Ltd. The cargo is scheduled for delivery on September 1 or 2 at a price of US$23.93 per MMBtu. This will be the 44th LNG cargo imported by Bangladesh this year.

The Economic Affairs Committee also approved, in principle, the purchase of 14 LNG cargoes from seven companies through direct procurement to meet emergency national needs. Each company will supply two cargoes. Officials said the move aims to maintain a reliable gas supply in the public interest. Gas demand in the industrial, power and fertilizer sectors has increased in recent years, raising Bangladesh’s dependence on LNG imports. The government is therefore using direct procurement, along with spot-market purchases and long-term contracts, to ensure an uninterrupted gas supply during emergencies.