State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid has said Bangladesh is expecting to get 1-1.5 million metric ton of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Brunei starting early 2023.
He made the statement following a bilateral meeting between Bangladesh and Brunei Darussalam in Bandar Seri Begawan on Thursday (November 24, 2022).
“There might be a 10-15 year agreement between the two nations in this regard,” he said.
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Nasrul Hamid led the Bangladesh delegation while Deputy Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office of Brunei, Yang Mulia Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Matsatejo bin Sokiaw, led his country’s delegation.
The State Minister said both Dhaka and Bandar Seri Begawan had fruitful discussions to increase the area of cooperation.
In the current context, he said, it was discussed to import an average of 210,000 MT of diesel from Brunei on deferred payment. New agreements will be signed on these matters.
He mentioned that both nations agreed to broaden the areas of cooperation in the energy sector.
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Bangladesh had imported 325,975 MT of diesel during 2014-2016 from Brunei. But later it was not possible to further import diesel from the Brunei-based supply company PB Trading Sendirian Berhad due to a condition that it must have its own refinery.
It is mentionable that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Dhaka and Bandar Seri Begawan on October 16 during the Brunei’s Sultan’s Dhaka visit on the cooperation in supply of LNG and other petroleum products.
Brunei’s Prime Minister’s permanent secretary Yang Mulia Azhar bin Haji Yahya, director of the Energy Department Mohammad Nizam bin Haji Ismi, director of the Petroleum Authority Adrian Wong Kwai Ming, acting director of the energy sharing management department of Energy Division Haji Mohd Zaki bin Haji Hassanol As’shari were present in the meeting from Brunei side.
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Bangladesh delegation includes senior secretary of the Energy Division Md Mahbub Hossain, chairman of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) ABM Azad, Petrobangla chairman Nazmul Ahsan, managing director of Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Limited Zabed Chowdhury and Bangladesh Ambassador in Brunei Nahida Rahman.