Bangladesh Seeks Southeast Asian Gas Amid Strait of Hormuz Shipping Disruptions

Bangladesh is struggling to secure affordable gas supplies after disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz exposed its vulnerabilities and strained an already struggling economy.

The South Asian nation is turning to Southeast Asia for natural gas as a prolonged disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz deepens its energy crisis. It plans to buy liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Malaysia using specialized cryogenic containers, also known as ISO tanks, as an immediate solution for its energy shortages.

The country is also working on a plan to build a pipeline for buying gas from Myanmar as a way to cut dependence on Persian Gulf shipments. Bangladesh's energy import bill has swelled by an estimated $2.5 billion after the Middle East conflict forced it to buy super-expensive LNG cargoes.