Bangladesh Seeks Emergency Gas Supplies from TotalEnergies Amid Middle East Tensions

The Bangladeshi government has approved a plan to import 18 cargoes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from TotalEnergies over the next nine months. The move aims to tackle the country's fuel crisis, which has been exacerbated by the war in the Middle East and unstable geopolitics. According to a recent meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase, the government will purchase two cargoes of LNG every month from October of this year to June of next year.

The price of LNG has not been finalized yet, with discussions between Petrobangla and TotalEnergies set to take place after approval by the concerned committee. Once the price is agreed upon, it will be presented for approval of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase, before a formal agreement is signed between the two parties.

The government believes that this new initiative with TotalEnergies will help reduce pressure on the country's gas supply in the short term and increase alternative sources to tackle supply risks in the international market. Bangladesh has long-term LNG import agreements with Qatar and Oman, but these have been affected by the Iran war, leading to a crisis in meeting gas demand in various sectors.