Motorists queue to refuel their bikes at a gas station amid issues over gas provide amid the U.S.-Israel battle with Iran, in Dhaka, Bangladesh. File
| Photograph Credit score: Reuters
Bangladesh is pushing to safe loans of round $2 billion from multilateral businesses for tackling vitality safety issues amid hovering world gas costs pushed by the West Asia warfare.
The federal government has already taken a number of measures to curb gas consumption, together with halting manufacturing at most fertiliser factories.
The federal government has now adopted a three-pronged method to make sure sustainable vitality provide, the prime minister’s finance and planning adviser Rashed Al Titumir stated on Saturday (March 21, 2026).
“A part of that’s securing loans,” Mr. Titumir advised AFP.
“The Worldwide Financial Fund (IMF) has dedicated $1.3 billion, whereas the Asian Improvement Financial institution (ADB) has pledged $500 million as finances help,” he stated, including the federal government was pursuing the loans for early disbursement.
The federal government may additionally method the World Financial institution. “As we wish to hold overseas forex reserves intact, we’ve restricted choices apart from in search of loans,” Mr. Titumir stated.
The federal government can be exploring alternate options for sourcing vitality from “North America, South America or Africa”.
“We’re exploring all accessible choices for different vitality sources,” the adviser stated.
Bangladesh — which imports 95% of its oil and gasoline wants — has not raised electrical energy and gas costs regardless of the worldwide surge.
Most crude gas is sourced from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, whereas round 35% of gasoline provide additionally comes from West Asia.
An assault on a website at Qatar’s Ras Laffan LNG hub might disrupt gasoline provide, given the nation’s reliance on the ability.
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For the reason that outbreak of the warfare, authorities have taken a number of measures to curb gas consumption.
These embody setting limits on gas purchases, halting manufacturing at most fertiliser factories, deploying police to patrol filling stations, and utilizing the navy to escort LNG shipments.
Revealed – March 21, 2026 10:03 pm IST