Dhaka: The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) approved the procurement of one cargo of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Aramco Trading Singapore, a fully-owned subsidiary of Saudi Aramco based in Singapore, under a government-to-government (G2G) arrangement to help meet the country’s growing energy demand.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the approval came during the eighth meeting of the CCGP for the 2026-27 fiscal year, which was held virtually with Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury presiding over the session on the weekly holiday. The committee agreed to the proposal for purchasing an LNG cargo from Aramco Trading Singapore, scheduled for delivery on August 11-12, 2026, through the direct procurement method under the G2G framework.
The officials noted that the LNG will be purchased at a price of US$21.55 per MMBtu. However, the committee did not consider another proposal concerning a long-term LNG procurement arrangement with Gunvor USA LLC. The Energy and Mineral Resources Division withdrew its proposal seeking approval for the direct purchase of LNG from Gunvor USA LLC under a G2G arrangement for the period from 2026 to 2038 before it could be presented for the committee’s consideration.
Bangladesh has been importing LNG to supplement declining domestic natural gas production and ensure a stable supply of fuel for power generation and industrial use. The latest approval is expected to support the country’s gas supply by facilitating timely delivery of an LNG cargo during August.
The country’s gas supply is gradually returning to normal after the partial restoration of the Excelerate Energy-operated floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) at Maheshkhali, easing a nationwide shortage that disrupted power generation, industries, CNG stations, and household cooking for more than two weeks. The crisis began on July 21 when a fire damaged the FSRU’s boiler-related electrical systems, forcing the suspension of LNG regasification from one of the country’s two floating LNG terminals.
The outage reduced around 450 million cubic feet of gas per day from the national grid, significantly affecting electricity production and industrial operations. Following repair work by local and foreign engineers, the terminal has resumed partial operations, supplying about 115 million cubic feet of gas per day, with output expected to increase in phases. Energy Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood stated on Thursday that gas supply should return to normal within two to three days as repairs continue.
Bangladesh currently faces a daily gas demand of about 3,800 to 4,000 million cubic feet against a supply of roughly 2,600 million cubic feet, making imported LNG crucial to meeting domestic demand. The latest disruption has once again highlighted the country’s growing dependence on LNG imports and the vulnerability of its gas supply system to disruptions at a single FSRU.