Qatar is expected to ink a long-term, deal with Bangladesh tomorrow (Thursday) to supply liquefied natural gas (LNG) as the country desperately looks for the petroleum product at cheaper rate as the Ukraine crisis spiked its prices for the past one year, officials said, reports BSS.     

“The deal is expected to be signed tomorrow in Doha . . . this is clearly the outcome of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s recent visit to Qatar,” Prime Minister’s energy affairs adviser Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury told the state news agency. 

Another Petrobangla official said under the 15-year agreement Bangladesh would receive annually 2 million tonnes of LNG from Qatar.

Qatar is the world’s top LNG exporter.

Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury said that Dhaka was looking for a comfortable deal with Qatar for the past several months while it was priority issue during premier’s last week’s Qatar visit.

“Our Prime Minister had a fruitful discussion with Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, who promised to supply the LNG,” Chowdhury said.

He said the LNG supply was expected to start from January 2026.

During the Doha visit on May 23-25, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had a meeting with Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani at Amiri Diwan.

Officials said a negotiation of signing a new contract over the larger supply of energy from Qatar to Bangladesh was underway for the past several months.

Bd-pratidin English/Golam Rosul