Bangladesh is holding talks with Gulf partners to secure gas imports and protect fuel shipments from global shipping route disruptions. State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Aninda Islam Amit met with Qatari and Saudi officials in Riyadh to discuss these energy plans.
The discussions include a potential new long-term liquefied natural gas contract with QatarEnergy. Aninda Islam Amit spoke with Saad bin Sherida Al Kaabi, Qatar minister of state for energy affairs and chief executive officer of QatarEnergy, on the sidelines of the 17th International Energy Forum.
Talks covered rising gas demand in Bangladesh and ways to diversify supply sources and shipping routes through QatarEnergy. Qatar already supplies LNG to Bangladesh under long-term agreements. Delivery uncertainties grew recently following regional conflicts and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
In a separate meeting, Aninda Islam Amit asked Saudi Assistant Minister of Energy Nasser Al-Qahtani for help in strengthening national energy security. The discussions included frameworks for long-term energy cooperation and support for building new LNG infrastructure and terminal facilities.
Bangladesh also wants help with offshore and onshore gas exploration to expand local supply by 2030. Saudi officials responded with optimism about stronger cooperation in energy security and other development sectors.
Aninda Islam Amit also met Samir J Serhan, chief executive officer of Saudi company ACWA Power, to discuss renewable energy investments. ACWA Power expressed interest in funding projects in Bangladesh during the meetings in Riyadh.